The Way back home is always long
by ghostwriter0501
Summary: A/H Married for 10 years and with two kids,Elena and Damon are no longer the dynamic couple they used to be.They've grown apart and both know that they've lost each other for too long.Both will fight to find the way to become one again and find happiness
1. Chapter 1

_**Chapter One : Yesterday seems so far away**_

Elena groaned lazily as the alarm went off, as usual every morning. And as usual, she would find his place in the bed empty. Damon had once again work late night at office and was already up and ready to go.

Elena stared at the ceiling trying to remember when was the last time her husband had held her in his warm embrace.

_**Flashback (10 years earlier)**_

"_I can't believe I am now Mrs Damon Salvatore." Elena said all smiling in her husband's arms. They just had the most amazing wedding night where Damon had made love to her over and over again, worshipping her like she was the world's most beautiful Goddess._

"_You are mine now kitten. And I promise you, I will love you every single moment of forever", whispered Damon, his eyes boring into hers, full of promises of happiness._

_**Back to present**_

"Mommy! Mommy! Come down! Daddy is making us pancakes for breakfast!"

Elena signed and smile at her 5 years old daughter Sophia antics. She was a little bubble of joy who could brightened the most dark day. She was so innocent and naïve unlike her older brother William.  
>William was Elena's and Damon's oldest son of 9. He was quite mature for his age and he clearly was a spitting replica of young Damon's attitude : rebellious and hot-headed and impulsive. The only person who actually had some authority on him was Damon himself.<p>

Elena put on her robe and went down to find her two kids enjoying their breakfast steadily while Damon was comfortably sipping on his coffee reading his newspaper. Elena mumbled a "Good morning" to her little family and went for her morning coffee.

She looked at the 3 persons in her kitchen and wondered how did they get to that? How did they shift from being the closed and lovely family they used to be to the cold and formal one? How did she lose her husband to a business? But worst, when did she stopped caring?

"Time to go kiddos", she heard Damon say, which brought her out of her reveries. She pecked each kid on their forehead and like every morning, she looked up and send her robotic smile towards her husband who kiss her quickly on her lips… A kiss that she used to revel in that had become simply part of the routine… She knew deep down that Damon too felt what she was feeling. Both of them were lonely and empty and unhappy, yet, both preferred pretending that all was fine and perfect and that their routine was what they had always dreamt of… But lies always catch us up and both knew that it was simply a matter of time before it all fall apart. Were they ready to let go of what they had built? Was their love really dead? Would they just become one of those couples who simply "did not work out"?

Yes, Damon and Elena had both lost their way from each other but, was it really the end? Or was it simply the longest way back home?


	2. Chapter 2

_**Chapter 2 – Curtains Fall**_

Elena was fuming while she drove through the crowded streets of New York. She had got an emergency call from the kids' school saying that no one picked them up. "How could he forget to pick them up?", Elena exclaimed out loud.

Damon had forgotten to pick up their kids, too absorbed in a so-called important meeting. Elena was beyond pissed. Arriving at the school premises, she literally jumped out of her SUV and ran frantically towards a sobbing Sophia and a clearly angry-pouting William.

"See told you mom had not abandon you Soph. Now stop crying like a baby for god sake", muttered William. He simply walked beyond his mom and got into the car without saying anything. Sophia was calming down in her mom's soothing embrace while Elena walked them towards the car.

_**Back home…**_

"How could forget your own kids Damon?", yelled Elena. She had arrived home, dined with her kids, checked their homework and tucked them into bed. Damon had arrived past midnight again except this time, it was not a sleeping wife that was awaiting him but rather, a fuming and beyond pissed one. One look at Elena's face was enough for him to know that there was no way out of this conversation or fight whichever that was.

"What are you talking about Elena?"

"Damn it Damon! You were supposed to pick them up after school, remember? I can't believe we are actually having this conversation right now! That you forget me, I can deal with it. But your own kids, I won't have them suffer Damon. I can't do this anymore. I won't do it anymore. I am tired Damon… I want a divorce." Elena felt empty, but though she tried hard, she found that she had no tears anymore. She just felt cold.

Damon was shocked and at lost for word. Elena Gilbert Salvatore had finally pronounced the dreaded word "Divorce". Damon stared blankly at the woman in front of him, realization dawning over him. They had grown apart since a while ago. Why for damn sake wasn't he surprised he wondered. His wife had just tell him that she was leaving, that she was done with their marriage yet, he felt nothing.

Elena and Damon both looked at each other, feeling the same – cold and empty and emotionless.

After a while, Damon simply uttered, "I am tired. We'll talk tomorrow morning. Goodnight Elena."

For the first time that night, Damon slept on the couch downstairs, leaving a tired but sleepless Elena upstairs. Both tossed and turned restlessly, realization of their situation dawning upon them, and both that night thought about the two kids whose lives were going to change forever after tomorrow.

_**The Next morning**_

Elena and Damon were both up early for the simple reason that none of them slept through the night. After helping the kids get ready, the little family were having breakfast in the kitchen, with only Sophia's chattering breaking the silence.

Damon and Elena stared at their kids all throughout breakfast. Sophia and William seemed completely oblivious to what was going on around them.  
>How to announce to your kids that you are breaking the safest place they've ever known? How do you tell them that after today, there won't be any 'home' anymore?<p>

Elena sighed looking at Damon, who just nodded to her.

"Alright Soph, Will, Mum and Dad has something to tell you…"


	3. Chapter 3

_**Chapter 3 – There's nothing anymore**_

Sophia and William looked up inquisitively at their parents, wondering what it was they wanted to tell them. Looking into those four little innocent eyes, Damon found it impossible for him to tell them what was going on and he abruptly left the room.

Elena was bewildered by Damon's action and simply went after him not bothering about the kids wondering gaze.

"What the hell Damon? How can you leave this to me to tell them that we are divorcing?", Elena whispered angrily once in Damon's home office.

"Damn it Elena, you were the one to say the word, you deal with it. How do I tell the kids something I myself do not understand? YOU want an out of this marriage, you are the one walking away, NOT ME!"

Elena was utterly shocked and was fuming at Damon's outburst. "This marriage has been over for a while. We were just both evading it. I will not live like this anymore Damon. You don't love me anymore! And I don't even know where I stand either! And this is not fair! It is not fair to you, it is not fair to me and it is certainly not fair to our two children!"

Damon stared blankly at the woman before him. "I come home every night to you and you say I do not love you? I may not have been the perfect husband or the perfect dad but I have done nothing except from loving and protecting this family! So Elena, do not use me working hard as an excuse to explain why you're walking out on your family! You did not even allow me to try turning things around. You did not even offer an opportunity to make things right! You are simply walking away before we're having a rough time!" Damon was fuming but even more, he was hurt that Elena seemed to find it easy to just call their marriage quit.

"You don't even look at me anymore Damon. We barely talk, we barely touch each other. We've become two strangers living in the same house! I AM SUFFOCATING HERE CAN'T YOU See? I am dying inside every single day! THIS is not the life I wanted! I don't even know who I am anymore! I can't even remember what it feels like to be happy!" Elena screamed, tears spilling out of her eyes. Her heart was breaking and seeing her so distress was breaking Damon inside too but it was too much for him to take. He walked towards the door, wanting to get away from this room, "We'll talk when I come back. I am not divorcing Elena." And on those words, Damon left with kids, leaving a distress and lonely Elena who simply watched him go with her two kids.

_**Some hours later**_

Elena had remained in Damon's office long after her eyes had dried themselves. She contemplated her life, thinking about what's next. She knew Damon and so, she knew that he would never sign for divorce, at least not without a fight. A fight she knew she would not be able to handle. Damon Salvatore was Damon Salvatore and even she was no match for him. He wanted her to stay to mend things but how could they mend things if she herself did not know what was broken?

Slowly getting up, she went upstairs to their room and started filling her suitcase with clothes. She seemed to be working robotically. She was not sure of what to do but she knew that if she stayed, she would lose herself forever and she just could not.

After being done with her luggage, she wrote down to Damon, to her kids; Trying to find the words to explain, to tell them. Tears were spilling again but she just kept writing and writing until there was nothing more left for her to tell. Looking back one last time at the family picture hanging in the living room, she left.

A/N: I hope you guys like that one. Next chapter will solely be about the letter. Please tell me if you feel something should be added or what you did not like. :/ Thanks for your reviews, it's nice to read them


	4. Chapter 4

_**Chapter 4 : Bleeding hearts.**_

_Dear Damon,_

_ I don't know how to say what I am about to say. Please do not hate me, I already hate myself enough right now. I am leaving now but I think my soul had already left a long time ago. It has been too long since I have felt the joy of being myself… Of being the Elena you fell in love with. And I have been miserable for a while and this, this is not fair for either of us and even more, this is not fair at all for the two miracles we have created. I love our children too much to put them through the pain of having a mother who does not even know where her heart went. _

_I am not leaving forever. We have grown apart little by little and I don't even know how. We used to be that couple that had every people jealous. We used to be Damon and Elena. Where are we now Damon? I barely remember the feeling of being in your arms, of falling asleep in the safety of your embrace. I can't even remember the tingles I used to have every time I would hear the roaring of your car coming back home… coming back to me. _

_We used to be such a beautiful and complete family. Where did that go? I used to believe that it would last forever, that I would always be the one to put a smile on your face and the glow on our kids' life. Today, I know I have failed. I have failed in loving you, but worse, I have fail in loving myself, making it impossible for me to love and cherish our children the way I wished I had. _

_When I married you 10 years ago in that church in our hometown, I remember walking down the aisle fearless, happy and without a doubt because I knew I was walking down to the man I would love forever. Things have not change for the last part Damon. I still love you amidst all the chaos and misunderstandings and uncertainties in our life, I still love you. I know I will always love you. I think that loving you is the only stable thing I still have in my life right now.  
>But I cannot lie to myself or to you anymore. I am lonely and afraid and full of doubt. Every night you came in late, I fell asleep afraid you might be in someone else's arm. I have tried to be the perfect wife to the man you have become and by doing so, I have lost myself into a life so different from what we both had dreamed of when we got married. <em>

_I know I have said it already but I need to say it again, DON'T HATE ME DAMON. I can survive many things but you hating me is an idea I know I will not be able to handle.  
>I needed to leave our house, because it's been too long I have not felt safe and at home there anymore.<br>Tell Sophia and William that I love them, they are my sunshines and my light in the dark alley my life has become. I will always love them and I am not abandoning them or you Damon. _

_We both need to be apart for a while and I am sure that deep down you know it. We have not been our true self for two long. We've lied to each other and pretended all was fine while, truthfully, everything was falling apart around us. _

_Damon, I will not ask you to take care of our kids because I know the great dad you used to be to them and that you still are, even in your own way. I know you love them and that you will shield them from any harm as much as you can._

_Somewhere inside, I know the man I fell in love with, the man I gave my life to, the man I build a family with is still here. I know my Damon is still here. I just hope that the Elena you love is still alive somewhere and that I find her again. We need to work on ourselves. You need to be yourself again and I need to find myself again.  
>We used to say that our home was in each other's heart… It seems we've lost our way home for a while now.<br>Many people would just walk away without looking back but you are right. Divorce is not the right thing because none of us really want it.  
>I know I am unhappy with the way our life has turned out to be but I am not going down without a fight. And for that, I need to find me again and become the woman you love. I just hope with all the strength I have in me, that the day I find myself back, I find the man I married too.<em>

_But remember Damon, you used to say, "The Way Back Home is Always long…"_

_I love you now, I'll love you still tomorrow and the day after that._

_Yours always and forever,_

_Elena G. Salvatore._

By the time, Damon had finished reading Elena's words, he could not hold back anymore. He let the tears spilled until he had no more left.

Damon could not believe that Elena, his Elena had actually walked away from them all. She left, he thought. He was hurting like never before.

Despair filled him when he thought about his two children that were soon going to be back from school. _How am I going to tell them that their mother left and that she is not coming back anytime soon? Even worse, how do I tell them that I am the one who drove her away? _, he wondered. 


	5. Chapter 5

_**Chapter 5 – It's alright Ma, I'm only bleeding**_

Damon was already at the school gate when the bell rang. Once Sophia saw her dad, she started running towards him while William, being William, just walked past Damon to simply get in the car.  
>"I love when you surprise us like that Daddy!" said a smiling Sophia in her dad's arm. Damon simply smiled back and hugged her.<br>The drive home was silent, except for Sophia who was chatting unstopping about her day.  
>"How come it is you who is picking us up?" asked William. Damon instantly stiffened in his seat and held the wheel even more steadily. William had always been the observing kid and it was the moment Damon had silently prayed would never come, or at least later…much later.<p>

Damon evaded the question and took them to the park. He knew William was not a dumb kid and that his son had caught up that something was wrong. He just had not expected him to blunt out the question like that.  
>He could not tell them yet he had to. He had no choice but till then, he decided to let them have some fun while it lasted.<p>

_**2 hours later, back at home**_

"Sophia, William! Dinner is ready. Come on!" Damon shouted. He heard Sophia's little feet running towards the kitchen and smiled to himself. She was so like her mom Damon thought.

"Where is your brother Princess?" Damon asked.  
>"Brooding like always" which made Damon laughed, his daughter might have her mother's look but she definitely had his wits.<br>"Come on, sit down. I'll bring him here and we'll eat, okay?"  
>Damon went in search of his son and found him just like Sophia said, brooding.<br>"Hey buddy, what's up with you sitting all alone up here?" Damon questioned him.  
>"Where is mom Dad?"<br>Damon breathed in and looked into his 10 years old son eyes. He knew there was no point in lying or in evading now.  
>"Son, your mother will be gone for a while. She and me we had that fight and she was upset. And she left. She left because of me but she loves you. She loves you more than anything else. It's all my fault so do not feel grudge her. Be angry with me if you need to, I can understand. I drove your mother away. And you can hate me for that." Damon felt his heart breaking as he spoke those words, as he tried hard to keep his tears at bay. He watched his son, who stared at him, his blue eyes meeting his own.<br>He heard a little sniffle behind him and turned.  
>"Soph"<em><strong><br>**_Damon immediately took his sobbing daughter in his arms. He tried to soothe her as much as he could, knowing no words could stop the pain his kids were feeling.

He felt something wet on his shoulder and what followed next literally broke his heart. William was breaking down. And Damon lost no time in hugging both his kids tightly against his chest. And even if he felt guilty for feeling what he was feeling, Damon felt anger deep inside. He felt anger for Elena walking away like that, without looking back. He knew she was hurt by what he did, but was it really necessary to just walk away from it all?  
>And in the heavy silence of the room, where only the little sobs of his kids could be heard, Damon heard his son's little voice,<br>"I don't hate you Dad."


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6 – Where are thou?**

It had been about a week now since Elena had left and she still had not call. Damon was dealing as much as he could, keeping it together for his kids, but he knew that no matter how much he would do, he would not be able to fill the hole left by their mother's absence.

Both Sophia and William refused to sleep without their dad by their side and Damon ended having them in his room every night. He watched them slowly drift into sleep, unable to find some himself. He was always thinking and thinking over and over again about their reality. He had hoped that Elena would have come home by now and that they would be actually trying to solve their problems together. Damon was deeply hurt but even more, the impossible situation was started to anger him. He could understand Elena leaving him but the kids?  
>And every night that would be his torture, wondering what she was doing, where she was, was she alone? Did she think of him? Did she even worry about them three?<br>He missed his wife even if he was too proud to admit, deep down he knew it, he felt it and it was burning him inside.  
>And every night Damon would watch the sun rise, signaling another dreadfully long day, full of expectations from his kids…<p>

His two children… He knew even if they did not say it, he knew. Every afternoon, when they came back, he could see the glow of hope in their eyes that their mother might have come back home. But every time, it was the same disappointing face he saw at dinner.  
>If only she would call…No one would even tell him where she was, not as if her best friends did not know.<br>**  
><strong>_**Flashback**_

"_Caroline, don't lie to me! You know where she is! At least let me talk to her, only once! Just let me speak to her! On the phone or in person! I don't care, Just tell me!" Damon was practically begging.  
>Bonnie had made it clear earlier that she would not tell him where Elena was, emphasizing on the fact that she believed that "You are the worst thing that could happen to Elena just like this marriage. I am glad she finally got out of it." <em>

_Caroline was Damon's last hope and he was running out of option here. The kids were miserable without their mother and they would ask about her every day, who could blame them? It was their mother. Damon knew how it felt to be without a mum, he grew up without his, and it was killing him to know that his children were feeling the pain he felt all the while he was growing up.  
>"Damon, she made me promise not to tell you anything. I feel your pain, I promise you and I cannot even imagine what the kids are going through right now, but you and I both know Elena loves them. But I can't tell you anything. Please, be the father they need right now and leave the Elena part to me for the moment." Caroline tried to soothe Damon as much as she could. Though she did not like him at first, she had learned to know him and they had become good friends and she really hoped that Damon and Elena would be able to sort out their issues at some point. <em>

Damon had spent the whole day trying to catch up the lateness he had accumulated in his work though his mind was elsewhere. It seemed like the world had stopped. Every time the phone would ring, he would rush to it, hoping it was Elena. Elena, Elena. Everything was Elena… The family pictures on his desk, their wedding picture hanging on the wall, their house full of her memories, their bedroom, the things she had left in their bathroom but even more, their children…

Damon was so lost in his thoughts that he did not notice his brother coming in.

"Damon? Damon! Back to earth brother!" snapping Damon out of his reverie.

"Stefan! Did not hear you come in."

"Yeah, thought I'd pass by to see how you were doing…"

Damon smirked, "What brother… walking on egg shells around me because you think I'm going to explode? Don't worry I'm not. I am the very definition of _perfectly fine_"

Stefan rolled his eyes, not believing any of his brother's words. If there was one thing he knew his brother was very good at, it was hiding his feelings.

"Still no sign of her, huh?" Stefan asked.

"Not even a phone call… I mean, okay I get it, she is pissed off with me. I know, I admit, I was a dick to her. The lousiest husband ever too, I acknowledge even that! But damn it Stefan, how could she just walk out like that on all we built? She left it to me to tell the kids she was leaving! It's as if she did not even care about how they would react! I just don't know how to feel anymore! And I have to lie everyday to my kids, and tell them that she will soon come back, that it all will just be like a nightmare! I feed them lies and at some point they're going to realize it. All I am asking for is just one damn phone call, damn it!"

Stefan watched his brother spill all he had kept for days inside, and he knew then, that his brother was breaking more than he was willing to show. Damon would never speak his heart out like that and he knew his brother was simply at the point where he did not know what to do.

"What if she never comes back Stefan?" a broken Damon uttered. And Stefan felt his heart breaking at his brother's sight. Damon was fighting the tears as he looked at his brother with dejected eyes.  
>Stefan simply walked to his brother and hugged him.<br>"Keep the faith Damon. She will come back….  
>And if she doesn't, we'll figure out what to do. But either way, Damon Salvatore ain't going down without a fight, right?"<p>

"I just want her back Stefan. I need her." Damon barely whispered, hanging on tight on his brother. He knew he looked like a kid and he may seem weak but he did not care. He needed his brother at that moment and that was all that mattered.

Stefan left his brother's office some two hours afterwards, vowing to himself that he was going to bring his sister-in-law back or at least, he'd try as hard as he can, for his brother's sake and that of his nephew and niece and mostly, for Elena's sake too.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7 "It you and us now Daddy"**

Two more weeks had gone by and still no news of Elena. Damon was more desperate than ever and he became alarmed that the kids were less and less asking for their mother. William and Sophia had been talking less and less about their mother, although Damon could see in their eyes that they missed her. He knew that Sophia expectedly eyed the door every now and then. And William who would rush in every time the phone would ring. And it would be a lie if Damon said that he did not share the same hope as his children.

He prayed, wished that Elena would come back. Every morning he would wake up hoping she would be there next to him, in their bed. He dreamed of her every night, and thought of her every day… He longed to hold her close to his heart, to feel her warm body at night close to his. He missed seeing his wife taking care of their kids.  
>And every morning he would wake up with a sinking heart, realizing she was gone…And as the days passed by, this nagging thought would come back every time in his mind…<p>

_She would not be home anytime soon._

Damon was late. He had an important business meeting and had to ask Caroline to pick the kids from school. That was the first time he was not the one to do it since Elena had left. And Damon was worried. He knew that the departure of their mother had immensely marked the kids and he did not know how right he was to worry.

**_In the meantime at home_**

"Why is daddy still not here?" asked a pouting Sophia. She was disappointed to see that her dad was not the one outside the school when the bell had ring. Her disappointment had quickly turned into a tearful anguish at the thought that her dad might have left too.

William had frowned a bit but seeing his sister crying, he held back his own tears and comforted her as much as he could. He was scared too but he had tried so hard not to break down.

The scene had broken Caroline's heart and though she had tried hard to reassure them, both kept asking for their dad.

"He is going to be home soon sweetie. I promise you, he is going to be here soon. Now eat your cookies missy while I go check on your big brother." Caroline winked at Sophie and left the kitchen, hoping that the little girl would relax and stop worrying.

"Here you are William. Come on, you need to eat something." Caroline said, finding the little boy sitting alone on the stairs.  
>"Is mommy coming back auntie Caroline?"<p>

Caroline stared blankly at the little blue eyed boy in front of her. She saw all the pure innocence of his young age and the sadness and fear in his eyes as he uttered that question. How she wished she could answer him.

"I don't know buddy. But she loves you, you know that right?" she said while sitting by M William's side.

"I don't think she loves me, or Sophia or Daddy. Because if she did, she would not have left. If love, you don't leave."

"William, you are still a little kid and there are things in life you still cannot understand yet. Even I sometimes don't understand some things people do. But Elena loves you. She left because she was unhappy and she wanted to be happy for you all."

"No Auntie Caroline. It's not true. Daddy is unhappy too. He is always sad and he cries often when he thinks we're not watching. He is unhappy but he stayed. But my mother left me because she did not love us. I don't want her back."  
>Caroline looked at the little boy and she did not know what to say. William was as stubborn as his father and the tone of the kid had finality in it she knew it was no use to argue with him for the moment. And after all, even if she did spoke, she had no idea what to say.<p>

It was much later that night when Damon's car appeared. Caroline had failed at convincing the kids to go to sleep. They wanted their dad to tuck them in.

"Hey you guys. What are you doing still up on a school night?" Damon tried to sound severe but failed epically. How could he be angry or even feigned it when deep down, he was hoping his kids would still be awake so he could hug them goodnight?  
>Sophia hugged him tightly and so did William.<p>

"Okay what about you guys go up while I say goodbye to your aunt Caroline?"

William just nodded and went upstairs while Sophia rushed to kiss Caroline before rushing off.

"Thank you Caroline. I hope everything went smoothly."

"Damon, Elena is my best friend but I like you. I know you love your kids and I know you love her too but you cannot keep going on like that. Living every day, hoping she will come back. It is breaking you and it is breaking your kids. William is becoming more and more bitter and resentful and he told me he did not want his mother back anymore because he thinks she does not love him. And Sophia? She threw a heart-breaking when she saw me at her school gate because she thought you had left too!"

Damon was taken aback at what Caroline told him. Regret filled his heart and Caroline saw his face and knew he was feeling guilty. And that was enough! "Stop it Damon! STOP! You do not have to feel guilty for this! You may have contributed to your marriage falling apart but her leaving? It was her choice not yours. And I have watched you for the past three weeks struggling between office, meetings, the house, and the kids. You might not be perfect but you are still here. And I think it is high time you get your life back on track. You are a good father so stop feeling like you are failing them. When Elena comes back, you both will sort out whatever you need to sort." Caroline knew she was being blunt but she also knew that Damon needed to be shaken.

"And if she doesn't come back?" Damon murmured, looking up, his eyes full of despair.

"Then you will move on and be a great father to your kids who absolutely adore you." Caroline said and left.

Damon went upstairs to find Sophia and William already in bed. Sophia was fighting hard so as not to fall asleep while William was already halfway there, holding his sister's hands. Damon smiled at this image and quickly took a picture with his phone.

"Okay Princess, go to sleep now. I love you", he whispered to Sophia. She leaned in and hugged him gently before closing her eyes but not before uttering "Please do not leave too Daddy".  
>Damon felt his heart ache and he gently kissed his daughter's forehead, "I promise I ain't going anywhere."<p>

He bent to kissed William's forehead too, thinking the boy was already asleep. He heard William whispered in his sleep, "It's just and us now daddy."

Damon spent the night, unable to sleep. Caroline's words were echoing in his mind and Sophie's fear was on his mind. He was breaking, it pained him but he knew that Caroline was right. He could not go on like this and the kids should not have to go through that.  
>He looked at the two innocent, angelic figures deeply asleep beside him and that was it. He knew it was time to stop walking on eggshells and to pretend that Elena was going to walk in anytime. She was not and that was it. He was not going to let himself and the kids be tortured like that.<p>

"It's just and us now daddy…" William's words echoing his head, Damon felt sleep come over him.

_**A/N :_There you go with Chapter 7. I hope you people like the story so far. I am trying to make it as genuine as possible.  
>Feel free to share your ideas and tell me how you found it. It's always great help to read your reviews <strong>_


	8. Chapter 8

_**Chapter 8 "I am scared Daddy"**_

Days became weeks and already it had been a month since Elena had left. Damon and the kids had fallen into their new found routine and the kids seldom asked for their mother. After what Caroline had told him that famous night, Damon had decided to have a heart to heart talk with his children. He was worried about them, but more so about William. Sophia was the blunt little girl who held back nothing. She would always speak her mind and heart. It was a different matter with William who preferred hiding his heart out, which worried Damon more and more.

_**Flashback**_

_Damon watched Sophia as she ran around with her newfound friends in the park. William refused to play saying he was not interested in what he called "game for babies". He was sitting next to his dad on the park bench and seemed to be in deep thoughts._

"_So, Will, Caroline told me about what you said concerning your mother not loving you. Do you really think that son?"_

"_Yes" was all William answered._

_Damon could see that William was clearly trying to avoid the subject – His son was becoming more and more like him and that was not a pleasant thought for him. _

"_You know you can talk to me about anything, right William? Your my son, I love you and I am here always. I know you don't want to talk about it and that you will not want to believe me, but I know your mother. She is in pain and is angry with me because I hurt her badly but, he loves you and your sister. I promise you." Damon tried to reassure his son and to get rid of his thoughts about his mother not loving him. _

_And Damon believed in every word he uttered at that very moment. He was angry with Elena for walking away from them, for not calling or writing. He resented her for not giving them a chance to work out their problems together. He did not comprehend her harsh decision of simply walking away with only a letter behind. He questioned himself often about their marriage. Hell, he felt that she did not love him anymore. But if there was one thing he was sure of was that Elena had never stopped loving their children. Even if he did not comprehend at all why she did not even call to reassure the kids, he knew that she loved them more than anything. This was why he was trying to make sure none of her kids would end up hating her for all that was happening. If there was anyone to blame, it was him._

"_You are hurt too dad, you're still here. Why does she never call if she cares?"_

"_William, sometimes, in life things get so complicated that we do things without wanting to hurt anymore but we end up doing that. I know you're hurting because she is your mother. And you miss her. You have the right to miss her son. Just know that I am here and you don't have to be afraid to tell me anything."_

_Without saying a word, William hugged his father as strongly as his 10 years old grip could. _

"_I am scared daddy." William whispered. _

_Damon looked into his son's eyes and it pained like hell to see these two pure innocent eyes full of tears and fears._

"_What scares you son?"_

"_I am afraid you won't be home too when auntie Caroline drops us home after school. Mommy already left us when she said she never would. Will you leave too one day daddy?"_

_Damon realized that all this time, William was expecting he would leave too. _

"_Look at me William. I PROMISE YOU I will never ever leave you. And if ever I had to leave, you and your sister would be on board with me. And your mother left me. Not you. She loves you and would give her life for you. I don't want you to be afraid anymore son. I am not going anywhere." Damon said, hugging his son closely and tightly. _

_They were his strengths, his everything and he would no more let anything hurt them. _

I really wanted to have a father-son 'talk' here… Something tells me we'll be hearing Elena soon ;)


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9 – I will come back…Just not yet**

Her fingers were trembling all the while fidgeting with the phone. Just as the past four weeks, she had sat on that hotel bed undecided on whether to call or not.  
>It would have been a lie to say that she did not miss them. She did. She missed her children – their laughs, their pouting, their unstopping blabbering about all and nothing. But what was harder to admit for her was that she missed him. She missed all of him – his smirks, his arms, his unnerving innuendos – She did not even understand why she felt how she felt. Damon and she had not had any close contact way before she left; actually, the very reason of her leaving was because she could not take all of that anymore. Then why was she feeling that way?<p>

She hesitated. She wanted to hear them, talk to them, tell them she loved them, and tell him she still loved him. But she knew that Damon would not understand and would require her to come back immediately. Her fear of him was as strong as her love for him. She could not go back, not now, not yet. She felt that if she went back, she would lose herself completely and would be beyond saving.

She needed to find herself again, to be the woman she used to be and whom she loved to be. Not that she hated motherhood – hell she would kill for her kids – but she just needed to break away. They did not deserve a mother who was just a ghost to herself. She just hoped that they would one day understand and would forgive her.  
>She had to explain them, to hear them; she needed them to know she still loved them. She needed to know they were okay. She had to tell them she was not gone forever…She was coming back… But not yet.<br>She pushed "call" and was paralyzed when she heard his deep voice at the other end. She could not speak.

"Hello? … Hello?" She heard him lose patience. He was never able to keep his calm too long she recalled.  
>"Damon, it's me."<p>

A/N I know this is short but I have a good reason. I want the conversation to be as genuine as possible so I am still working on it ;) Promise, I won't take too much time. ;)


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10 – You made your bed, now lie in it.**

"Damon, it's me."

To say Damon was shocked would be an understatement. Hearing the silence at the end of the line, Elena repeated herself, "Damon, it's me Elena."

"I know it's you. I would recognize your voice anywhere Elena. You really has not lost the skill to surprise me huh? Calling after a whole month and me who thought you had some form of amnesia, forgetting all about our family…" Damon used a sharp sarcastic tone, ignoring the slight feeling of joy he still felt on hearing her voice. He would not let her hurt him more, he thought.

His words cut through her like a sharp knife. It hurt to hear him say those words but she felt anger deep inside. "You know well I have not forgotten anything Damon. I told you why I was leaving. Don't turn this on me." Hell, this was not the way she thought that phone call would be. The moment these words came out of her mind, she knew she had again made another mistake.

"Don't turn this on you? Hell ELENA, YOU DON'T GET TO TELL ME WHAT TO DO! You call after weeks of silence and you expect what? That I would be all soft and kind over you? What now? Huh? Are you going to blame me too for YOU leaving OUR kids without even a proper goodbye? Without an explanation? Hell, you did not even try to allow us to sort things out together! You fucking left on your own! So go ahead, blame me as much as you want, but it is you not me who walked out on our family." Damon spat out angrily. He had kept all these inside of him since she had left, all the tension, the pain he kept inside so well because he had to be strong for the ache her choice had caused his two children.

"Damon… Just please I know you're bitter and angry. Please just let me talk to them. I need it please." Elena pleaded on the phone. She had so much to tell him but she knew he would not understand. He was too angry and bitter and though she was in pain, she knew he had every right to be. But she wanted to speak to her kids. She needed to hear them and she silently prayed Damon would not refuse her that.

"Damon, please put them on."

"When are you coming back?" was all Damon answered back.

"Damon don't do this. Not now. I don't know. I have, I need to figure myself out please, let me talk to them! They are my kids too!" Elena begging turning into an incomprehensive anger.

"You leave without saying anything to them. Just some stupid piece of paper, you don't call, don't write NOTHING for a whole month. You don't even know if you'll be coming back home! And you want to speak to them? To say what Elena? WHAT? What will you tell them when they'll ask you when they'll see you again? You want to talk to them? They've cried themselves to sleep nights after nights asking for you! And I just stood there powerless because you dear wife, decided to run! So no. You don't get to remember you have 2 children after all this time and decide you need to talk to them. I will not let you break our children more! So while you "figure yourself out", I'll repair the damages you've done here." Damon practically yelled on the phone.

He heard the muffled sobs of Elena and though he cringed at that noise he hated to hear, he had let his anger get the best of him.

"And Elena, yes I have my share of guilt in the damages of our marriage, but you were the one to give up on us." Damon hanged up the phone.

Elena felt her heart constrict as she swallowed each word of his last sentence. _"You were the one to give up on us"…_

His words echoed incessantly in her mind. Her tears fell heavily, realization dawning on her. She never wanted that. That was not why she had left! She never ever wanted that but yet, it was all her fault. She had broken him. She had broken him and she had destroyed their lives. She had destroyed their family. At least that was what she made him feel and that was enough to break her.  
>She had blamed him for the past weeks yet all he had done was try to mend the wounds she had caused. She had made her children cry. What kind of mother did that? They hated her and she deserved it.<br>What had she done? Elena was less and less sure of what she had done. She did not belong here! She looked around that hotel room and suddenly felt estranged. How could she think that going away from them, from him would save them? She needed to get home, wanted to go home. But how would she go home when all that was left there was hatred for her?

"I've created my own hell by leaving your side Damon", she thought, exhausted and broken.

She blankly took out her phone and typed in before pushing the sent button. This was her last chance to make things right or at least, to make them right as much as possible. She stared at her phone, praying that he would still care a little for her…enough to reply.

"I love you; I never stopped. We need to talk." Damon read the message, a frown forming on his forehead.


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11 – You can't break a broken heart**

Damon kept re-reading Elena's message over and over again. It had been like that for the past three days, ever since he received that. There was not a minute that had passed by since her phone call where he did not hear her muffled cries on the phone while he unleashed his anger onto her. He did not regret saying those things because they were the reflection of feelings he had kept locked in the depth of his heart. Yet, the sound of her cries haunted him and every day, he was tempted to just let her see Sophia and William and let her in again. But every moment of that thought was always followed by the images of the distraught anguish of the two kids that meant the world to him. He would remember how broken they were when they went to bed crying for a mother who never came. He remembered his own pain during his childhood when he and Stefan had lost their mother so young. He remembered how his heart had broken more and more every day since that night he lost the one person who had loved him unconditionally. And it broke his heart to know his kids had felt that when his wife decided she needed to leave it all behind.  
>"Are you sure you don't want to meet her Damon or at least let the kids spend some time with her? They miss their mother; you know that even if they barely speak of her these days." Stefan asked, bringing Damon out of his thoughts. Damon had called his brother right away after the phone call episode. Though Rick was his best friend, he was Elena's aunt – Jenna – husband and he knew Rick would be conflicted. Stefan was his brother and he had been there for him ever since Elena had left. He could even dare say that Stefan helped him into not breaking apart all these weeks.<br>"I don't know Stefan. I just… I don't know if I can trust her. I don't know if I want to see her ever again. And as for the kids, absolutely not! Not before she knows what she really wants! Her leaving? It broke me! But I am strong enough to keep it together and not let it end me! But the kids? No. They barely recovered from her decision to leave and the silence that followed for weeks! I know they miss their mother! Hell, I miss her too. You know I love her and if I listened to my heart right now, she would already be home with all of us! But I can't allow that to happen, not yet. What if in some months, when things get rough, she decides to leave again? What then Stefan? I will not watch my children suffer like that ever again. If Elena wants to see our children, she will have earned it. That's it", Damon said, with a finality tone, which Stefan knew was useless to argue with.

Caroline had reached her home nearly after midnight, dead tired. She had received a late call from Damon, asking her to babysit William and Sophia. He had been delayed in an important meeting. Though Stefan had showed up in the afternoon, he clearly could not handle two kids 'with Damon's evil genes' as he put it himself. Caroline had laughed at his defeated face when he clearly realized that he could not follow the hyperactivity of his nephews.  
>She was about to call it a night when there was a loud knock at her door. Glancing at the clock, she read '2 A.M'. That left her wondering who it could possibly be at such an odd hour. Going downstairs quickly, she peeped through her window and her eyes went open wide. Without wasting time, she unlocked her front door, staring at the person standing on her porch.<br>"I thought I would never see you again…Elena" Caroline said coldly to her estranged friend. 

A/N Thanks a lot guys for the reviews, the 'story alerts', the 'favourite' Really, it feels good to know you are enjoying so far. I hope this chapter has not disappointed you much. I wanted to explore a little bit of Damon's inner feelings because till now, we've focused much about the kids and him as their father. What about him as a husband? ;) And I also thought, why not explore the friendship ties that link Caroline and Elena? Anyway, I stop boring you now ^^. Please review, advice, and all. Thank you


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12 "I am sorry Care" **

"_I thought I would never see you again…Elena" Caroline said coldly to her estranged friend._

Elena swallowed thickly, knowing that she would have a lot of explaining to do to her clearly pissed off best friend in front of her.

"Care, I, I have nowhere else to go", was all she managed to say.

"And you seem surprise by that fact. Oh wait, why didn't you run to your best friend Bonnie again? If I remember well, she's the one in whom you trusted enough to keep contact with." Caroline knew she was probably being a bit harsh on her, knowing about the phone call as Stefan had told her all about it.

Elena felt tears threatening to fall. She knew she had hurt many people, her people when she went away. And she not telling Caroline where she was had deeply hurt her.

"Please Caroline, let me explain. Just please don't push me away please." She was practically begging. Caroline watched her friend breaking in front of her eyes and felt her heart constrict. She stepped close to Elena and without saying a word; she hugged the sobbing woman tightly and brought her inside.

After handing her a glass of water and letting her calm down a little bit, Caroline sat down on the couch next to Elena and gently took her friend's hand in hers. "What is going on Lena?"

"I made a mistake Caroline! A horrible one. I shouldn't have left in the first place. I don't even understand why I did what I did. Damon and I had gotten into that big fight and I got scared because I knew that he would probably have things go his way. And I felt like I was losing myself into a world I did not choose and had no control on anymore. I was hurting so much I felt like I needed to get away. I thought that was my only option to save myself. And I left. By the time, I realized what I had done, it was too late. He hates me Caroline! He hates me and I deserve all of it!" Elena said her voice cracking and her tears starting to flow again.

"You never called Elena. I lied to Damon telling him I knew where you were. I saw him break and I saw your kids cry their little heart out asking where you were! I lied to all of them because my so called best friend had left without even saying goodbye. I lied to them, promising them I would convince you to come back! I didn't even know where you were! I was hoping Bonnie would actually tell me the truth. She refused. Why Elena? You could have called! Or even send a message! I just don't understand why."

"I have no excuse Care. I don't know. I knew you would come looking after me. And I was not thinking! I knew you would have come to find me and bring me back. I thought I did not want that. But I was wrong. I wanted to called you so many times; I just did not find the courage to do so. I have no excuse but I am just so sorry. I can't make up for what I did. I can't change any of the past weeks. Please don't turn your back on me. I have lost so many people! And it's my sole fault I know. I need you Care."

"What are you going to do Lena? You can stay here as much as you need and want. But, what are you going to do about that mess?"

"I want him back. I love him. I miss him. I miss our home. I miss my children. But he hates me. I don't know what to do." Elena said, sounding so desperate.

"He is broken. He is in pain. And he is worried that you'll just break your children's heart again. But sweetheart, that man is feeling many things but he certainly does not hate you. Even if he will probably say otherwise. I don't know what to tell you, what you should do. But I am here and I am not turning my back on you. Just make it right Elena." Caroline said, looking at her friend into the eyes, soothingly but firmly at the same time.  
>"I will Care. I will. They are my everything."<p> 


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13 "I don't care anymore"**

"_I will Care. I will. They are my everything."_

"Damon, she's been here for a 3 days. And she's been crying herself to sleep on my couch every single night. It high time, you guys have a talk like adults. You're married for god sake."

Damon listened to the ramblings of the blond woman in front of him, occasionally glancing at his brother who seemed to be pretty much captivated by her. He smiled knowingly. He knew his brother by heart and it was clear that Stefan was totally into Caroline.

"Damon! What in the hell are you smiling at? I am telling you that your wife is back in town, at my house, totally in bad shape, and you are smiling? What the hell is wrong with you?"

Damon smile faded at the mention of Elena. Caroline had called Stefan three nights ago telling him Elena was back in town. Stefan had lost no time in calling his brother, even if it has been about 3 in the morning.

_**Flashback**_

_Damon groaned as he heard his phone ringing in the far distance. He was finally being able to have some sleep lately, and his phone ringing at this time was no good news, he could tell.  
>He groaned and covered his head with his pillow hoping that whoever was calling would just give up; apparently not.<br>It was Damon, who gave in and groggily. He looked at the phone screen and saw it was his baby brother.  
>" This better be important Stefan or I will kill you myself." Damon muttered on the phone.<br>"Caroline just called me. She is back in town Damon." Damon froze at his brother's words. He had not heard from her after the text message he had received and had thought she had just change her mind. It had reassured him in his decision about not allowing her to see their children. He had thought that she had just turned her back, just like she had done before.  
>"Damon? Are you still here?" Stefan voice through the phone brought Damon back to reality.<br>"Yeah I, I'm here."  
>"She is here Damon and from what Caroline told me, she is determined to make things right. Maybe that's your second chance to both of you Damon." Stefan, said, hoping his brother would not let his stubbornness get in the way.<em>

_Damon sighed loudly at his brother's words. He was not expecting her to come back. He did not know what to do with that new situation. In fact, he was not even sure if he wanted to do anything.  
>"Goodnight Stefan. And brother, next time you decide to call me at 3 in the morning, please make sure it's important." Damon coldly said to his brother before hanging up. He would not allow Elena Gilbert to break him again, or affect him in any way. He had loved her, even if sometimes he failed to show it, but he did and she had turned her back on him. He would not make the same mistake twice, he thought. But as those thoughts rushed through his mind, Damon knew deep down he would never be able to stop loving her, and he was not sure if he had it in him to resist her. But he would, he had to. He would not listen to his heart again, he thought.<br>And just like that, all sleep had left him and he just sat there on his bed, wondering what next wave would come his way._

_**Back at Damon's house (With Caroline and Stefan)**_

"Blondie, I like you, and I am grateful for all you've been doing for the kids and all. Really. But as for your friend – my so called wife – you can tell her to go to hell."

Both Stefan and Caroline stared in utter shock at Damon's words. What shocked them even more was the cold calm that seemed to punctuate his every word. He was shutting himself and that meant nothing good for what's next.

But both Damon and Caroline knew that it was no point in arguing with Damon when he was in that state.  
>Unaware of the bombshell effect he just had on those two, Damon stood up nonchalantly, "Now, lovebirds, if you'll please excuse me, while you're busy trying to save my marriage, I am going to make some serious planning for my daughter's 6th birthday. And oh, Caroline, tell your friend she is so NOT invited."<br>Stefan and Caroline looked at each other. Stefan seemed to be profoundly worried about his brother while Caroline had this amused smile on her face. Stefan looked at her quizzically. Caroline rolled her eyes, "Lovebirds? Is it that obvious already?"  
>Damon overheard Caroline comment and couldn't help but smile genuinely. He was happy for his brother. And he was going to make his daughter's birthday queen-like. Elena Gilbert could wait meanwhile.<p>

**A/N****: ****I hope you guys have enjoyed this chapter. I feel like something is missing though. I wanted to depict Damon's denial and his way of dealing with things after weeks of unrequited hope, waiting for Elena. I wanted to show how bitter he had become though he denies it.  
>And the birthday ^^ I thought that would be good for some drama… ;) <strong>


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14 Dress-Up**

"Daddy, can I be a princess on my birthday?" asked a little Sophia, looking at Damon with those big brown eyes that reminded him of someone every time he looked in them.

"A princess? I thought you were one already Soph", replied a smiling Damon.

"I know daddy, I was just messing with you. Of course I am a Princess.", said a giggling Soph wrapping her arms around her daddy's neck.

Damon kissed her daughter's forehead and hugged her tightly. Ever since Elena had left, he had noticed how Sophia would always take an opportunity to hug him. She had stopped asking about her mother and barely even talk about her. He had promised himself that he would do everything in his power to make his kids never feel alone or neglected. He knew he shouldn't but he pampered them too much and couldn't find himself to say no to almost all they asked.

"So sweetie, I was thinking, you're going to need a Princess dress for that birthday party, right?"

"Yes!" squealed an over-excited Sophia in Damon's arms.

"Okay, alright Soph, no need to deafen your old dad," laughed Damon. "Well, how about I ask your aunt Caroline to take you shopping for that dress? I'm sure she'll be better help to you that I will".

"Yes! Auntie Caroline is so pretty! It could be a girls' day!" a clearly joyful Sophia said.

Damon smiled at his daughter, hiding the sadness he felt at his daughter's word. That was supposed to be Elena picking that dress with her and he knew all he had to do was ask call his wife. But he refused. He did not trust her not to run away again and though, he felt he was being a little harsh here, he preferred not having her around the kids until he was sure she would not leave…again.

_**At Caroline's place**_

"Hey Care. You want to hang out today?" asked Elena. She had been inside the house for four days now and Caroline had been out mostly every day. She was clearly avoiding her and Elena wanted to pop that bubble already.

"Hmm I'd love to but Damon called me earlier. It's an "emergency" as he said it", Caroline said vaguely. She felt weird, being caught between her best friend and that very best friend's husband who was also her boyfriend's brother. Not to mention how she adored those two little kids she had been helping Damon with for the past weeks.

"Emergency? What is it? Is anything wrong with my kids? Tell me Caroline!" Elena asked frantically.

"Nothing is wrong Elena. The kids are fine. It's nothing you need to worry about." Explained Caroline. She was feeling ill at ease and embarrassed at telling Elena that it was about helping Sophia picking a dress for her birthday. She did not want her friend to feel bad.

"What is it Caroline? You're acting all weird. What's going on?"

"Okay! Damon called asking me to help Sophia picking a dress for her birthday party!", said a clearly uneasy Caroline.

"Oh." Was all Elena said, clearly sad and disappointed?

"Elena, come on, don't be angry be with me! You didn't sincerely expect Damon would call you and ask you right?"

"No Caroline, you're right I shouldn't expect my husband to call me about my daughter's birthday. As you told me clearly last time, he specified I was NOT invited at my own daughter's birthday, right? And you didn't exactly defend me…Anyway, you should go."

Caroline could not believe what she was hearing. Was Elena actually blaming her for what was happening?

"Are you implying that it is MY fault now that you are not allowed to even go near your own kids? You walked out on your family. You contacted no one except Bonnie, who you knew HATED Damon! So you knew she would not try to convince you to come back! You were the one to make him doubt you Elena! So don't you dare blame me for what YOU have done.  
>Instead of sitting idly here around for days, why haven't you even tried to actually go and see YOUR family? What is it Elena? Have you forgotten even the way to go there?", shouted a clearly pissed off Caroline.<p>

Elena felt ashamed for her previous behavior and looked down. "I…I am sorry Caroline. I shouldn't have said that to you. You took care of my family and I should be thanking you. Sorry."

"It's okay. We'll talk later. I need to go before Damon gets Sophia call me every 2 minutes", she laughed.

Elena watched her best friend go. She could not help but felt jealous of her best friend. She knew it was wrong; she was the one to walk out. She wanted to be the one hanging out with Sophia, to pick up the dress, to help Damon prepare that party. And her little boy. She so wanted to see her son. But William being so like his father would not even want to look at her by now.  
>Looking at a picture of her two kids on Caroline's fridge, she grabbed her back and took her car keys. She wanted to see her kids, she was going to help Sophia pick that dress whether Damon wanted it or not.<p> 


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15 – Can we be saved?**

Elena drove towards her home. She knew it was probably a rough move but she needed to see them, him. She knew the way by heart. She remembered how she used to eagerly drive that road, impatient to get home to her family. That very family she had walked away from, without even looking back or thinking twice. And here she was now, sneaking around to see that very family again, her heart full of regrets of a decision she took without realizing the depth of it all.

Soon enough, the house appeared in view, and Elena felt herself grow more and more stressful yet, somehow, she couldn't wait to get closer.  
>After parking her car on the roadside, Elena got out and started walking through her house's walkway. She could make it, she told herself.<br>She heard giggling and felt her heart swell. She would recognize her little girl's voice anywhere. Turning in the corner, there they were. Of course, they could not see her yet. She started making her way towards them but stopped suddenly.  
>Damon.<br>There he was with a laughing Michael on his back.  
>"I want to be on daddy's shoulders too!" yelled a pouting Sophia. The sight of her family in front of her made Elena smiled, a genuine smile, not the one she had been faking for so long. They were there, at some steps from her. All she had to do was get out of that hidden corner and she'd have her kids.<br>But she could not move.  
>"Okay everyone. Soph, let's leave those boys. Time to get that dress" said a smiling Caroline, coming out of the house. HER house, Elena thought. It was horrible but she was jealous of her best friend.<br>"Yeah Auntie Caroline, let's have a girls' day!", exclaimed an over-excited Sophia. Elena felt her heart break into pieces. _"Girls' day" _was how she and Sophia would always call their mother-daughter time. And though she knew she was the one to blame for leaving all that behind, she could not stop the tears from falling.  
>"Okay dad, let's go. I am bored. Let's go already, Uncle Steffi is waiting." wailed a clearly bored William.<br>William, her son had not changed a bit. He was even more the spitting image of his dad, physically and behaviorally.

They look so happy, Elena thought. She could not go there. She would ruin everything, she already did once. All of Damon's words ran into her mind.  
><em>"While you figure yourself out, I'll repair the damages you've done here." <em>And he seemed to have been able to. Her children looked happy, and her walking out there would ruin all of that, she was certain of it. She hid herself more; making sure no one would see her.

"Hmm actually, I have something to do. You go along with your aunt Caroline; I'll join you guys as soon as I am done." She heard Damon say.  
>She watched Caroline take care of her kids, watched them interact with her just like they used to be with her. She knew she was hurting herself but she could not tear her gaze away. She watched as Caroline's car drove away with her children, feeling helpless,<p>

"You still suck at sneaking around, even after all these years", she heard him say, and she was taken aback. He knew. He knew she was there. He had seen her.  
>"Damon…" she said, coming clear in front of him.<p> 


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16 – Sorry seems to be the hardest word**

"_You still suck at sneaking around, even after all these years", she heard him say, and she was taken aback. He knew. He knew she was there. He had seen her.  
>"Damon…" she said, coming clear in front of him.<em>

"I thought I told you to stay away Elena."

"And I thought you knew after all this time I never listened to your _orders_ Damon." Elena accentuated the word _order, _looking at Damon right into his blue eyes. She had to fight hard not to let herself be absorbed by them. She knew she had to hold her ground, Damon would be Damon and he would not give her an easy time. But she was determined to get her family back and to put all those pieces together. It was time to mend what she had broken, what they had broken.

"What do you want?" was all Damon replied as drily as he could. He was having an inner battle against himself. He was keen on keeping the icy outside to the woman in front of him while his heart and body was screaming to him to go and just kiss the hell out of her. There she was, in front of him, in real. He had hoped for that moment for weeks until he had finally started to accept the idea that she probably would never come back. Yet, there she was, as fierce as ever, just like before all things fell apart. She was the Elena he had married. And he was having a hard time resisting her.  
>But he would not cave in. She had hurt him and the thought of all those nights he waited by the phone but she never called, all the time he had to soothe their crying children because they wanted a mother that would never come, all the times he had begged Bonnie to tell him where she was but all he got was "She finally came to her senses Damon. She deserves better than you, and she finally knows it." He had to live with the pity looks he received from people who knew what had happened every time he would walk on the streets. No, Elena had broken him and he would be crazy if he would just let her walk back again.<br>"I want our family back, that's all I want." He heard her say.

"Yeah…Too bad, we've moved on dear Wife." He added sarcastically.  
>His tone sent shivers through her spine. His words sting like knives but she refused to let his anger discourage her. She knew Damon Salvatore and he would always be rude and seek to hurt when he was angry. And damn right he was angry.<br>"You being all your sarcastic self is not helping Damon. I am trying here, okay. I am. I know I have messed up things by just walking away like some thief, but I am sorry. But at least I am acknowledging my mistakes here! While you're acting all hurt and innocent here!" Elena said, a bit louder than she intended.  
>She could see that Damon was getting all worked up by the seconds. This was not going the way she thought it would.<br>"ACTING ALL HURT? Excuse me Elena. SORRY FOR BEING ANGRY AND FOR NOT WANTING YOU AROUND. I AM SORRY THAT YOU DID NOT EVEN GAVE US A SECOND CHANCE TO TRY TO MAKE THINGS BETTER. Blame it ALL on me! You walk out the door; you leave us all, the kids Elena. YOUR KIDS! You just left! So yes, I know I have a big part in our marriage falling apart but leaving was YOUR decision. Just like not calling was. You didn't care. You didn't worry. I am surprise you even remember the way to this house! So YES I am going to ACT all hurt here as much as I want!" Damon was now practically shouting.

"I love you" was all Elena managed to say. She could feel the tears threatening to fall, though she was trying hard to hold them back. She had seen him angry before but the look in his eyes when he looked at her now just hurt.  
>She could see the hurt she had caused him and it made her heart ache. She wanted to tell him, explain to him why. She wanted to tell him that the past weeks away from him, from them, was the most horrible time of her life. That all she had wanted was to come back to them but she was so ashamed and scared. She had missed him so much and had spent long nights crying thinking about him, dreaming of being in his arms.<br>"It's too late for that now Elena. You ended all when you walked away." Damon uttered, trying not to show her the extent to which those three words she spoke had affected him. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to spend the day with my children, you know, the ones you abandoned." Damon added, knowing that it was a low blow using the kids like that against her.  
>He walked past her, "Goodbye Elena."<p>

She watched the man that could hold her world together as much as shatter it drive away from her.  
>"This is far from goodbye Damon", she whispered as she watched his car disappear.<br>As Elena got into her car, she knew it was high time to confront her. She drove directly there and lost no time in walking up to her door and banging hard on it.  
>Soon enough, she heard her grumbled an "I'm coming. Don't break the door".<br>As the door open, Elena looked at her with clearly angry, questioning eyes. Her voice was firm and border dangerous.  
>"You lied. You said he did not want to hear from me again. That he had moved on. You owe me an explanation Bonnie."<p> 


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17 – Broken Bond**

"_You lied. You said he did not want to hear from me again. That he had moved on. You owe me an explanation Bonnie."  
><em> 

Elena's angry cold gaze fixed Bonnie. She felt betrayed by the friend she had trusted.  
>"I am waiting Bonnie." Elena muttered, staring at her friend who seemed to have gone mute.<p>

"You, you should come inside Elena."

Elena followed Bonnie inside, impatient to hear her so called best friend explain why she had lied. Why had she been so bent on keeping her away, making her believe that Damon had really moved on.

"You want anything 'Lena" , she heard Bonnie asked.

"Yeah, cut the good manner crap. Just tell me why Bonnie. I thought you were my friend! What the hell did you want to achieve, huh?" Elena found no reason to keep her tone down. She was pissed off at Bonnie.  
>"Yes ELENA! YES! I LIED. I TOLD YOU HE HAD MOVED ON. I did it for you! You were so miserable here with him! He molded you into what he wanted you to be! This marriage was a mistake and you know it! He finally seems to acknowledge it! All I did was enabled you to start anew! You said so yourself, YOU FELT TRAPPED!"<p>

_**Flashback to 3 months earlier…**_

"_Elena Gilbert Salvatore drinking in the midday! Come on spill. What's wrong?" Bonnie said, walking in the Salvatore's huge house.  
>She had left work earlier and decided to drop by to see her friend. And she was quite surprise to see the latter, sitting near Damon's alcohol stash, and drink in hand. She hated to see Elena like this; it seemed to her that Damon had rubbed off on her. Bonnie always disliked Damon and never even did an effort to mask it. She had tried to convince Elena not to get into a relationship with him, and even on their wedding day, she had told Elena she could still backed out. – Which had earned her a scowl from Caroline. She never understood how Caroline could actually befriend Damon.<em>

"_Nothing Bon. Aren't you supposed to be at work?" Elena asked._

"_Yeah, finished early. Thought we could have a girls' time. And you definitely look like you need one. What's going on Elena?", Bonnie said, a hint of worry in her voice._

_Elena looked up to her friend and let the tears out finally " I don't know Bonnie. Nothing's wrong! I should be happy! I have everything a woman could dream of. A good husband, amazing kids, huge house. Everything! But I can't feel happy anymore."_

_Bonnie stared at her best friend breaking down.  
>"What are you feeling Elena?" asked Bonnie, soothing her friend as best as she could.<br>"I love him. I do. And I love my children. I promise I do. They are my everything. But I am losing myself…This is not what I pictured for myself Bon. This is not who I wanted to be…  
>I feel trapped…"<em>

"Yes! I told you I was unhappy and I felt trapped. I DID! And leaving was MY decision. But you, you promised me you'd tell him. YOU PROMISED you'll tell him everything. I told you I wanted to come back, that I had made a mistake! YOU TOLD ME THAT IT WAS TOO LATE! YOU TOLD ME HE HAD MOVED ON! You said my kids did not even miss me! YOU PROMISED ME THAT YOU WERE LOOKING AFTER THEM! You lied! YOU LIED because you hated Damon! You always did and you always wanted us apart! YOU DID NOT CARE if I was hurting when you lied! You did not care that you were breaking my kids' heart when you told me they were better off without me! I WAS BREAKING DOWN IN THAT HOTEL ROOM BONNIE! YOU TOLD ME MY FAMILY HATED ME when all they wanted was for me to come back home! JUST LIKE I WANTED! Elena was yelling through her tears. She felt betrayed. She had believed her, trusted her and she had lied just to keep her away from them.

"YES! And I still hold my ground. DAMON IS SO WRONG FOR YOU! This marriage should never have happened. You deserve much better than this Damon Salvatore! And I don't care if you hate me, you know deep down I am right! He would have crushed you at some point. Because that's what he does! Soon he'll tire playing the perfect little daddy and he'll just walk away and you'll have your kids back, if that's what you're worried about" scoffed Bonnie.

Elena could not believe what she was hearing. Bonnie was referring to her children as if they were just some toys to be played with! And her marriage to Damon seemed not to matter at all. She had lied and she still believes it was the right call!

"I thought you were my friend Bonnie. But I was wrong. You speak of my children as if they were nothing. And you speak of what you don't know. Damon has ALWAYS been an amazing dad, even though he may have made mistake, he would give his life for our children! And as for him crushing me or whatsoever, we had our problems, hell, we have a lot of unresolved issues, but in the end, I love him and he loves me back, as much as he deny it, I know he does. I was at my weakest moment, and I left! And you just pushed me even more far from my family because you are so blinded by your judgmental opinions about my husband! We're not friends anymore. And I don't want to see you again." Elena said, unusually calm. She walked herself out of Bonnie's house, leaving a speechless Bonnie, crying.


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter 18 – Shattered Glass**

Elena's tears were spilling out unstopping as she kept driving through town. Her best friend had lied to her, and she had blindly listened to her advices at a time where she felt totally lost. Damon was so angry and so resentful about her. And he had every right to be, she thought. She loved him and wanted to have them again. She missed him so much. Yet, she had no idea how to convince Damon that she was still the Elena he had married.  
>This time, however, she knew she would not back down. She was going to confront him. She was going to see her children, her husband and he would have to believe her.<p>

After making a stop in town for a specific reason, she drove back to their house, knowing no one would be back yet. She smiled a little thinking about Damon spending the day with the kids. He had changed back to the man she had loved and married. She loved him even more for that, she thought.  
>Reaching there, she unbuckled herself and made her way to the front entry of the house. Grabbing the door's knob, she turned it and couldn't help but chuckled – Damon still was forgetting to actually keyed the door on his way out.<br>She took a deep breath as the home-like smell of the house hit her. She felt her heart ache as she walk through the rooms. HER HOUSE…THEIR HOUSE. She was actually quite surprise at the fact that Damon seemed to be handling the kids, the housekeeping and the office work perfectly well.

Slowly, she made her way towards what used to be their bedroom. She felt her heart go heavy step by step as she climbed the stairs. Pushing the door slightly, she eyed the untouched bed and frowned slightly. Coming in closer, she touched the silken sheet perfectly spread on the bed and realized that it was the same sheet she had placed before leaving. Taking a quick look around, she realized that the room was exactly the same, except for some of the furniture that seemed to have been covered by some dust.  
>Elena's eyed opened wide as realization dawned upon her. HE WAS NOT SLEEPING HERE! Damon had stayed away from their bedroom for a while. She felt the tears pricking but fought hard to keep them at bay.<br>Quietly she left the room and went made her way towards her children's room. William's bedroom was still the same, except for the toys car that seemed to have multiply greatly. Damon was spoiling the kids so much – he always used to do that before. It made Elena smiles thinking about when it wasn't that much fun…

_**Flashback**_

"_Daddy! You got us gifts again! You are so much better than Santa! Come on Soph!" yelled a 6 years old William. The blue-eyed little boy ran through the lounge, with a clumsy 2 years old Sophia following. Damon smile at the sight in front of him. Quickly reaching out for Sophia before she falls, he watched with amusement the awe-struck face of his son at the sight of the blue car he had seen some days ago in a shop – for which he had begged his dad to buy unsuccessfully.  
>"Spoiling them much, are you?" said a visibly pouting Elena. She was having a hard time with William who vowed an unlimited admiration for his dad and he was actually acting much like his dad lately.<br>Waiting for the little boy to rush upstairs in his room to play with his new toy, Elena turned to Damon, frowning much.  
>"You know he is grounded for the 2 days Damon! No toys, no t.v… Stop spoiling our son like that! Seriously, I am having a hard time because he is being so YOU and I am being the totally awful mother, or so he thinks."<br>"I'll talk to him Lena." Answered Damon absently, playing with little Sophia, who was giggling at his dad's funny faces.  
>Elena couldn't help but chuckled at the sight of her husband being such a whipped dad.<br>"I love you Damon", she told him, looking at him with loving eyes.  
>"I love you too babe", replied Damon before his kissed her. <em>

**Back to Present**

Elena smiled fondly at the memory. Remembering what she was up here for, quickly she went to Sophia's room. That room had become even pinker than before. Smiling, Elena pulls out a fluffy pink thing from the little bag she was carrying. Placing the gift carefully on Sophia's bed, she smiled, looking at the beautiful pink princess dress she had bought her daughter. She knew that Sophia would love it and was secretly hoping that she would want to wear that one for her birthday.  
>Going back downstairs, she waited patiently, though she could feel the stress coming up. It was time her kids know she was back and that she was not leaving them ever again.<br>It was almost dark when she heard the car coming up. She heard giggling and laughs and footsteps coming. Elena was scared about what was going to happen next. As the front door opened, she put on her best smile, though it was hard.  
>"Mama!", yelled a surprised Sophia. The little girl stood there staring at Elena for a few seconds before running towards her mother's opening arms. Elena couldn't hold back her tears at the sight of her little girl holding so tightly onto her.<br>Looking up, she saw her son and her husband looking blankly at her. Damon was frowning deeply at her, though secretly he felt his heart swell at the sight before him – Elena here at home, their home.  
>William's face was same as his dad. Elena knew that it would be harder to re-connect with her son but she did not know yet to what extent.<br>"William…" she said looking at her little boy.  
>"Dad, can I go to my room please?" William asked, turning to look up at his father. Damon nodded slowly.<br>"William please let me talk to you!", begged Elena. Her son was angry with her. He resented her for leaving, he was right. William quickly ran upstairs and the sound of a door slamming was heard.  
>Turning to look at Damon, she saw the scowl on his face.<br>"Don't! Don't tell me whatever it is you're thinking Damon! They are my kids and I wanted to see them!"  
>"Sophia, honey, why don't you go upstairs for some time please? Daddy need to talk with mom."<p>

Waiting for Sophia to leave the room, Damon looked at Elena, anger clearly flaring off his face.  
>"What the hell were you thinking Elena? I told you that I did not want you near them anytime soon!"<br>"Well, Damon, that was not your call to make. I am their mother so I am as free to see them as you are."

Damon stared at his wife. She was stronger that the last time he had seen her. She was so beautiful he thought. He loved that woman so much that it was driving him crazy. All he wanted to do at that very moment was to hold her tightly and kiss her like there was no tomorrow. Shushing those thoughts aside, Damon did what he did best – shut himself to what he was feeling.  
>"Listen to me Elena. You left without thinking about them. You had your fun for a whole month. You did not care then, huh? And now, you come back because you remember you had kids? And you want me to pretend as if nothing had happened? I don't care what you want Elena. I told you I did not want you anywhere near my children. Thank you. Really, thank you for ruining such a beautiful day we had as a family. And yeah, that did not include you here. Your son hates you. We don't need you here!" Damon spat, though he knew he should not have said what he said the moment those words left his mouth. He went too far and he knew it. Looking at the woman in front of him, he saw her face and the pain he read on her face made him feel like the most stupid and cold-hearted person on earth. He feared that this time, he had really broken her forever with his words. "Elena I – I…" he stuttered.<br>But Elena was listening no more. She had shut down the moment Damon had said those words to her. Grabbing her car keys, she ran outside, hot tears flowing out, she quickly got into her car and drove off at full speed.  
><em>"Your son hates you. We don't need you here!" <em>Damon's words were all she was hearing in her mind. Bonnie was right. They were doing fine without her. He had not even given her the chance to tell him. He hated her and her son hated her.  
>Elena was lost deep in her thoughts and did not see the upcoming car coming at full speed, zigzagging through the lanes.<p>

It had been about two hours since Elena had left. The kids were already in bed and Damon was hating himself for telling her those lies. William did not hate his mother and they needed her! He needed her! He loved her and would love her forever, no matter what.  
>A while ago Sophia had come down running with a pink dress on her arms. And Damon had realized that Elena had bought exactly what their daughter had secretly wanted to wear.<br>And that killed him even more to know that he probably had broken the woman he loved too deeply this time.  
>The sound of his phone ringing brought his out of his stupor.<br>"What?" he spoke coldly on the phone.

"Mr. Salvatore? This is Mystic Fall Hospital. Your wife Elena Gilbert-Salvatore just got brought in. She had an accident. You're needed here urgently."


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter 19 – Don't go just yet**

_"Mr. Salvatore? This is Mystic Fall Hospital. Your wife Elena Gilbert-Salvatore just got brought in. She had an accident. You're needed here urgently."_

Damon kept pacing back and forth in the Mystic Fall Hospital waiting room. He had called Stefan and Caroline to stay with the kids. His brother had wanted to stay with him at the hospital but Damon had refused. He needed to do this alone.  
>His wife…His fault…<p>

Elena had been taken into surgery for the past three hours and there he was – miserable, lost and freaking scared. He could not lose her. Not again. He needed her.  
>He was trying to be strong here but he knew that the strong man wall was wearing thin. The last words he had spoken to her kept ringing through his mind and images of her distraught and hurt by his harsh words. He felt guilty. And the mere thought of her dying was driving him crazy. He would not survive this. He couldn't lose her.<p>

"Mr. Salvatore? I'm doctor Fell. Your wife has just been brought out of surgery. Her condition is still critical though we have done our utmost possible and repair as much damage as we could during surgery. But she has lost a lot of blood. The next 24 hours will be crucial as to whether she will make it or not. You can see her as soon as you're ready."  
>Damon listened to the doctor's words, fear and anguish written all over his face. Following Dr. Fell, he entered Elena's room.<br>There she was, with all those machines attached to her and those tubes – keeping her alive.  
>Damon stood there, watching his angel, the very fiber of his existence laying in that hospital bed, eyes close and he felt a cold terror creep all through his body – The reality of the dreadful picture lying in front of his came crashing on him – He had pushed her away so many times where all he had wanted to do was hold her tight and never let her go and now, he could lose her forever at any moment and there was nothing he could do about it.<br>As the doctor left the room, Damon approached Elena's bed and sat on the chair next to it. Holding her hand carefully and softly, he pressed a kiss on its palm. Watching his bruised wife fighting between life and death, Damon did not bother holding back his tears anymore. He let his tears flow freely.  
>"Don't let go. I love you too much to watch you slip away. Don't let go." He begged to an inconscient Elena.<p>

…

"Damon? Damon wake up", said a soft voice. Damon slowly opened his eyes to see Caroline eyeing him worriedly. Quickly, he looked Elena's way hoping to see her awake, only to meet with a still sleeping wife. Damon felt all his fear come back and felt his hope waver away little by little.  
>"Come on Damon. You should go home, clean yourself up a little bit, have some food and some rest."<p>

"I am not leaving her Caroline!"

"I'll be staying here till you come back. Moreover, the kids have been asking about you. You should really go there and speak to them. Don't be stubborn Damon!"

He knew Caroline was right. He needed to get himself together and speak to the kids about the situation. This was going to be another hard blow for them he thought, frowning deeply.  
>"Okay, but I'll be back soon. You call if there's anything Blondie".<p>

…

Damon entered his house, hearing a tantrum-like sound coming from William's room.  
>"No Sophia, you don't get to wear your princess dress for school! William, get ready and stop playing with those damn trucks!"<p>

Damon smiled a little; Stefan was clearly overwhelmed by those two kids of his.  
>"I got it from here brother. I get it, you can't handle too much of Damon Salvatore's DNA huh?" Damon said, smirking, though the smirk did not reach his eyes as it used to.<br>Stefan looked at his tired and weary brother, with his disheveled hair.  
>"You're a mess" was all Stefan said.<br>"Yeah… So kiddos, I think today can be a no-school day." Damon said, looking at his kids. Sophia's eyes gleamed at her dad's announcement.  
>"Are we going to spend the day with Mama Daddy?" she asked innocently. Damon looked at his little daughter intensely and felt the same feeling he had felt few weeks ago : he was going to hurt them again…<p>

"Sophia, William come here. There's something I have to tell you." Damon said, sitting down on William's bed.  
>"It's about you mother…" He started.<br>He heard William scoffed and his head snapped in his son's direction. He looked at William questioningly.  
>"What is it Dad? She left us again, right?" William said, as if it was a normal thing.<p>

"NO! William NO! She did not leave us again and you don't get to act like that about your mother. Is that clear?" Damon lashed out at his son.  
>William's eyes started to fill up with tears and Damon immediately winced at the sight in front of him.<br>"I-I am sorry son. I didn't mean to shout at you. Your mother loves you and she is not leaving okay? You need to stop being angry at her." Damon said soothingly.  
>"Last night, something happened. Something bad… Your mom had an accident and was admitted at the hospital."<br>Damon watched horror creep all over his children's face. It was killing him to know his words were hurting them again. He cursed himself mentally because he knew no matter what he would do, this was a situation he had no control on.  
>"Is mommy going to die Daddy?" whispered a teary William, who was holding his sister's hand tightly.<br>"No! No one's going to die okay? Your mother is a very strong person and she IS going to make it through". At this point, Damon did not know if he was trying to convince the kids or himself with those words.  
>"I want to see her!" said a crying Sophia. Both kids had cuddled in their father's arms and Damon did not bother about being strong at that very moment. He allowed his tears to flow and held his kids tightly against him.<br>"We'll go see her. We'll go."

…

Stefan tried his best to keep the kids busy while Damon was getting ready to go back to the hospital. It broke his heart knowing his brother was going through all that trials and he promised himself that he would be there for him no matter what, in the same way Damon had always been there for him, no matter what.

"Okay, let's go" Damon said, entering the parlor. Stefan looked at him and nodded. Damon sent a silent thank you to his younger brother. He had basically been the one bringing Stefan up and he was proud of the man his younger brother had become.  
>Stefan had been there all through the wrong patches he had in life and he knew that right now, his little brother was helping a lot in keeping him altogether.<p>

…

As Damon approached Elena's room with Sophia and William and Stefan just behind, he frowned at the sight of Caroline crying outside the said-room.  
>Quickly letting go of his kids' hands, Damon rushed towards Caroline and asked her what was going on. There was a crowd of nurses inside and he could see Dr. Fell giving orders and busying himself. He was not being allowed inside.<br>"Caroline! What happened? What is going on?" asked Damon, distraught and panicking.  
>"She-She-Her heart- All was okay. I was talking to her hoping she would hear. And all the machines went off. And there was this sound. They said her heart had stopped beating. And they forced me out. I-I am sorry."<p>

Damon's eyes went wide and he felt a rush of pain creep inside his heart. Pushing the door of the room open, not caring if he was infringing the hospital rules and regulations, he rushed to Elena's side and grabbed her hand.  
>"You don't get to leave me 'Lena! Don't you dare do that! Come back!" He was shouting at this point.<br>"Mr. Salvatore, you need to get out! We're taking care of her!" but Damon would not have it. He refused to let go of his wife and he looked defiantly at the doctor.  
>Realizing that he was not going anywhere, nodded to him and went back to Elena. The machines suddenly went back to its normal beeping and Damon watched relief swept its way all over the medical staffs' faces.<br>"Mr. Salvatore, she is out of danger for now. But we're going to monitor and evaluate her state every 2 hours to make sure all is fine."

Damon let out a breath he didn't know he had been holding. He held onto Elena's hand tightly and buried his head into the crook of her neck.  
>"Don't let go, I am begging you. Don't go." He whispered in between sobs.<p> 


	20. Chapter 20

**Chapter 20 "Maybe…Just Maybe…"**

It had been three days since Elena nearly died right in front of Damon's eyes. It had been three days thus Damon had categorically refused to leave her side. He was practically living at the hospital. Caroline and Stefan had been staying at Damon and Elena's house, taking care as much as they could of William and Sophia. They were worried sick about Damon who was becoming more and more dark and gloomy as the days passed by with no sign of Elena waking up. Stefan was taking care of business while Caroline was doing her best trying to be the best godmother possible to the children.  
>There she was, listening to Sophia chattering while she drove both the kids back home from the hospital. This had been their routine for the past three days and Caroline could see the fear and worry over the children's face. Elena had still not wakened up and she could see Damon struggling with words while trying to reassure the kids that all will be fine. He was losing hope himself clearly. And every night, she would see him watching his children go away, struggling to fight back the tears that were threatening constantly to fall. And Caroline was completely devastated to see her friend like that. He loved Elena, appreciated Damon and simply adored the kids. And she loved Stefan and she knew it was killing her man to see his brother that broken.<br>-

Damon looked at his sleeping wife and felt desperately hopeless and powerless. She was still not waking up and as the doctor had told him, though her state had been stabilized, she would still be considered critical as long as she would not show any sign of response to the treatment.  
>Damon wondered how they came to that point… He needed her yet, all he had done was push her further away till the point of her fighting for her life in that hospital bed.<br>Damon sighed and put his head on Elena's stomach. That was pretty much that close he could get to her. He needed to fall asleep feeling her close to him. He let his tears flow silently, wishing and praying for her to open her eyes and look at him.  
>Slowly, he started falling into a slumber and his eyes closing slowly. He felt a swift movement of the fragile body he was clinging to and felt a soft and warm hand through his hair. Damon's eyes snapped open and he brusquely looked up only to be met with those beautiful but tired doe eyes looking straight into his icy blue ones.<p>

He blinked a few times, wondering if he was dreaming or hallucinating.

"Damon…" he heard her soft voice whisper and he reveled in hearing it.  
>Needed to know it was reality and not some twisted images of his imagination, Damon threw himself in Elena's neck crook and continuously whispering through his sobs "I love you…I love you too much to lose you ever again."<p>

As doctor Fell examined Elena, Damon watched from outside the room, all the while speaking on the phone. It was late at night and he knew his kids were probably still asleep but he needed them to know their mother was awake and wanting to see them. He felt so guilty for keeping Elena from meeting the kids all the days she had been back that he felt the deep need to rectify that. He had been a fool and he knew that it was not going to be easy to get his wife from trusting and forgiving this time after what he had said and done and how he had behaved. But Damon was determined to make his family whole again and he certainly was not going to take the risk of losing his Elena again.

Two more days passed by. The kids spent a lot of time with their mother and William had clearly forgiven his mother for leaving them and didn't seem to want to be apart from her too long. Sophia would always snuggled up to her mother and would end up falling asleep right there, leaving Damon the task to carry her back to the car. He would always be complaining about that but Elena knew better. She knew Damon was silently beaming at those little situations as it was the closest they were at being a family again.

She watched silently as Caroline busied herself packing her things up. The doctor had allowed her discharged and ever since, Elena had been strangely silent. She was still unable to walk without walking sticks so she was quite useless when it came to packing up.  
>Her mind was elsewhere though. She had no idea where she stood with Damon. The last days, they had been effectively evading the question and though she spoke nothing about it, his words before her accident were still fresh and resounding in her mind.<p>

"_We don't need you here!"_

She was brought out of her reverie when she heard his manly voice speaking.  
>"Caroline, it's okay. Thank you but I think I got it from her."<p>

She looked up and saw him slang the bag containing her things on his shoulder and smiling lightly at her, he pushed her wheeling chair, leaving Elena even more confused.

"Damon…" she started once outside the hospital but she froze instantly when she felt herself being scooted up by his strong arms and place gently in the backseat of his car. The warm feeling of his embrace made her feel tingles she had forgotten about. She closed her eyes and though her mind were warning her against it, she allowed herself to beam in that short instant of feeling his warm and strong arms protectively holding her.  
>She had to fight the urge to pout when she lost the closeness she had had with him. She looked at him with questioning eyes, and was met with those icy blue eyes she often used to get lost into.<br>"Let's get you home wifey."


	21. Chapter 21

**Chapter 21 "Home Sweet Home"**

"_Let's get you home wifey."_

Elena was sleeping peacefully when a thump woke her up. She blinked a few times, waking up groggily from her nap and saw Damon struggling with suitcases…Her suitcases. She looked around and memories of the morning events flooded back.

_**Some hours earlier**_

_The drive back home had been a quiet one, a silence quickly broken the moment they reached home and her children had come bouncing down to her. Damon had to step in to keep Sophia from throwing herself at Elena, fearing she might get hurt. Elena wanted to tell him to let them but she preferred to let it be for now.  
>She was still feeling weird from Damon's attitude, given the last time they had talked before her accident, he had clearly said he was done with her. He had placed her on their living room couch and had blabber something about getting "the" room ready for her. She was not understanding his attitude – It was as if everything were back to normal – A world where her husband was in love with her and nothing had ever happened except for the physical pain that reminded her that she nearly died. Not standing being idle on that couch anymore, Elena painfully rose up, struggling to keep her balance. Slowly, she made her way towards the stairs, wincing as a shot of pain passed through her broken leg.<em>

"_And what do you think you're doing?" Elena raised her head towards the voice she had longed to hear for some many weeks before._

"_I don't know. You tell me Damon. What am I doing here?" She asked, unable to retain herself any longer.  
>Damon frowned at her question and simply came down the stairs towards her. Without speaking, he scooped her up in his arms, looking at her straight in the eyes. He had to fight hard the urge to kiss her…The urge he had been having ever since she had opened her eyes on that hospital bed. He felt her wrap her arms around his neck and reveled in the feeling of her touch. He made his way towards their bedroom and Elena frowned even more as she realized where he was taking her.<br>Slowly, Damon lowered her onto their bed as he watched Elena closed her eyes, clearly remembering the softness of their bed. He smiled a little at the sight and wished he could just scoop up in bed with her.  
>Slowly, Elena opened her eyes and saw Damon staring at her with a smile. She intended to ask him again why she was her after what had happened but seeing that smile she had missed, those blue eyes and she could do nothing except get lost in them.<br>"You should sleep a little 'Lena. I'll be back soon."_

_She watched him leave and all she wanted to do was screamed "Stay!" but she did not. She watched him leave their bedroom and her._

The sound of something falling woke her from her slumber. Opening her eyes, she saw him struggling with her suitcases and she wondered what was going on.  
>"What is it?"<p>

Damon turned around frowning as he saw she was awake.

"Sorry. I did not mean to wake you up."

"What's all that Damon? What is going on? Why am I here? Why am I in our bedroom?"

Elena knew she had yelled a little bit but she had to know.

"What do you mean why you are here? You had an accident. I brought you home, where you should be. What is there not to understand?" Damon was looking straight at her, coming closer to the bed.

"I remember what you said before the accident Damon. I don't want to be in a house where I am not wanted."

Damon sat down closely to her and without any words; he lowered his lips towards her and simply kissed her.

"Right. Who said you were not wanted?" He said, after pulling back.

**A/N I know! This is damn short. But promise, next chapter I'll make it up to you And thank you for your beautiful reviews for the last chapter.**


	22. Chapter 22

**Chapter 22 – TOO TIRED TO PRETEND**

"_Right. Who said you were not wanted?"_

Elena was still fuzzy after that kiss. Millions thoughts were running through her head still, no words seemed to be getting out of her mouth. She stared at Damon, his blue eyes making it impossible for her to tear her gaze away from the man that could make her whole again, yet break her beyond repair.  
>"Wh-What was that Damon?"<p>

"Honey, if I know well, this was a kiss and you need to rest, doctor's order", He replied with his infamous smirk.  
>Without giving Elena a chance to reply, Damon left the room, leaving an even more puzzled Elena. She tossed and turned, hearing the far chattering of Sophia downstairs and the laughs of William. How she longed to be near them, downstairs, with her family. Swiftly, she pushed away the covers and slowly got out of bed. Painfully, she struggled to reach the door, ignoring the severe pain in her broken leg. Reaching for the stairs, she started walking down, breathing heavily with the searing pain that had now reached all her body.<br>"Damon…" she tried to speak out but her voice turned out more like a murmur. The world around her was becoming blurring and Elena mustered all the energy she had, "Damon!"  
>The last thing she felt was strong arms wrapping around her and all went dark.<p>

"You've got nothing to worry about Mr. Salvatore. Just make sure she rests and avoid making too much effort. She nearly lost her life in that accident. Your wife is going to need more than some sleeping hours to get back on her two feet."  
>Elena stirred a little and slowly, her eyes opened to see Damon talking to her doctor. The memory of her trying to walk down to her kids, the excruciating pain coursing through her body, the world going black on her, Damon's arms wrapping around her.<p>

"Hey, you should seriously stop trying to sneak around Elena", she heard him say playfully, but his eyes showed clearly worry. Elena watched him sit down by her side, on the bed and she took in his disheveled hair, the deep dark rings under his eyes. She felt the bed shifts and realized Damon's face had come closer to hers. She felt his fingers caressing her cheeks and though she marveled in his touch, she knew she had to stop whatever he was up to.

"Stop…Stop Damon. I-I can't. We can't" she whispered.  
>She saw the change in his eyes, from worry, love to complete incomprehension.<br>"What do you mean we can't 'Lena? What's wrong?"

"What do you mean what's wrong Damon? One minute we were screaming and fighting. And now, you're acting as if all was normal again. Why are you doing that?"

"I just want to make this work. We're married; I love you, you love me. You love me, right? Because if no, then that would be a problem. " Damon could not help but smirk at his last sentence; A smirk that did not last long when he saw Elena's expression. She was not going to let this go and he knew there would be nothing to save him from yet another of these talks he dreaded.

"You are willing to make this work now? Why Damon? Because I nearly died? Because you feel guilty?" Elena knew she was being unfair here by yelling at him while he had been so kind since their return from the hospital. But she could not stop it. She loved him, God she loved him so much that it scared the hell out of her. He had the power to make her and break her. But the words he had spoken that night would not leave her mind. They echoed in her head every single moment.  
>"Elena, please let's not do this right now okay? You need to rest. We'll talk tomorrow. Not right now." Damon said, hoping she would let go.<br>"DON'T DO THAT DAMON! Do not dismiss me like that! I need no rest! I want to talk and NOW! Look at me! Tell me Damon, what if I had not had that stupid accident that night?" Her question made Damon froze on the spot.  
>He knew she would do that at some point, he was just hoping that moment would not be soon.<br>Nearly losing her forever had made him realize how much he needed her. He did not care anymore about how hurt he had been for the past weeks, how awful life without her had been. All he could think of was that if she had died, he would have died too because Elena Gilbert Salvatore was his beginning and his end. Yes, he knew that if she had not been in that accident, they would probably still be fighting and he would still be angry with her.  
>She had hurt him but he knew his words had hurt her deeply too. Looking up in her doe eyes, Damon Salvatore knew that this time, it would be taking more than his infamous smirks and smooching kisses to make things right again. He would have to work hard to make Elena his again, forever this time.<p> 


	23. Chapter 23

**Chapter 23**

Elena was sitting in their backyard, watching the kids play around while Damon was clearly trying to stay calm with Caroline bossing around planning Sophia's birthday…A party Damon was this close to cancel. Things were getting better between them. She smiled, her mind going back to what had happened few days ago.

_**Flashback**_

"_No Damon! You cannot rightly think about cancelling the birthday party she's been waiting for since forever!" Elena said, vehemently, sitting on her bed, eating the dinner Damon had brought her some minutes ago.  
>It seems that Damon had completely been oblivious to what she had said and had simply went off with something like that, "You can be angry all you want kitten, I am going to take care of you." And just like that, he was really taking care of her, without effectively overwhelming her. And though she pouted about it in front of him, she was secretly reveling in having him around her. She was seeing a glimpse of the man she had married 10 years ago and the thought that they might actually get back on track was getting more and more persistent in her mind and heart.<em>

"_You nearly died Elena. Trust me, Sophia will understand that the circumstances are not right for a party." Damon persisted._

_"Okay that's enough Damon. Please, I am begging you. Do not cancel her party for my sake! I-Just please don't do that" Elena ended her sentence in a whisper, failing at keeping her tears at bay.  
>Damon frowned at the sight of his woman crying, and quickly went to her sight, taking her fully in his arms soothingly. Elena was clinging to him strongly, burying her face in his chest.<br>"What's wrong babe? Tell me" he said soothingly, slowly kissing her head.  
>"I-I, it's just…I have pained our kids so much already. I want Sophia to have the party. I can't…I can't handle more guilt that I already have to carry around Damon. Please…Just please." She was now looking at him pleadingly, her big brown eyes filled with tears, with a clear trace of vulnerability and pain. Damon felt his heart ache at the sight of complete distress that was over Elena's expression. He realized at that moment that while he had been completely busy being angry at her, she had been hurting and blaming herself all along for what was also his fault. He had drove her to leaving and yet, he had preferred blame her for everything, without even taking time to listen to her side of her story.<em>

"_Hey, Elena, look at me. I think it's high time you stop taking all the blame for the breaking down of our marriage. We were two to get married and it took two of us to ruin much of it. Though, it would also take two to make it better…" Elena was caught between smiling at him and wiping off that smirk of his that made her literally melt.  
>"I'll call Caroline and put her on project "Sophia's Birthday", okay? But though, I have one condition." Damon said, smiling at her with his most beautiful smile.<em>

"_What is it?"_

"_You're going to leave this room and we're all going to spend some quality family time…"  
>Elena felt the smile come over her face, listening to him.<br>"Just like old time, Damon?" she whispered.  
>She felt him tightened his embrace around her, and though she felt the fear that this might all be short-lived, she couldn't help but bury her face in his chest, just like she used to.<br>"Better than old time baby, better than old time…" She heard him say, and she smiled, reveling in his embrace, none of them eager to let go just yet._

"Hey, dreaming with eyes open kitten?" she heard his voice, which brought her out of her reverie.  
>She looked at him and couldn't help but take him hand, enlacing their fingers together.<br>"I love you Damon Salvatore, even if we have many issues…I never stopped loving you."  
>And with that said, she felt his lips on hers and the thought that, after all, they shall be okay somehow remained on her mind.<p>

A/N: I know! It's not as long as it should be. I am sorry. But I am so caught up with assignments and all, but I just could not allow myself not to update :D I hope you like this chapter. Personally I was not much satisfy with the previous one. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this one. Your reviews are always a pleasure to read so you know… ;)

2


	24. Chapter 24

**Chapter 24 Birthday and Best Friends**

Elena smiled, watching all those kids running around in their backyard garden. Admiring the wonderful set-up for Sophia's birthday, her smiled grew even wider, remembering how Damon nearly had a heart-attack when he saw all the pink Caroline had the decorators put up.

"Even if I still believe that Barbie could have actually tried with less pink, I admit she did a great job. Sophia is glowing in that princess dress you gave her." Damon said, coming up behind her, encircling her tiny waist.  
>"And you son up there is trying to actually cooed up to Thea!" Elena pointed out to William who was clearly sweet talking to his sister's best friend.<br>Damon looked in his direction and let out a laugh that had Elena shiver from head to toe. She loved to see him so carefree and smiling.

Day after day, their relationship seemed to be getting better and better, though they were both evading the subject of her departure. It was a book they both dreaded to open for it had caused too many wounds and nearly broke them forever.

"Daddy!"  
>Damon and Elena both turned towards their bubbly little Sophia.<br>"What is it Princess?"  
>"Daddy, I am not a princess", pouted Sophia.<br>"Why is that honey?" Damon said, trying to suppress the smile coming on his face. He saw Elena doing the same.  
>"Well, if I was a Princess, I would have everything I want!"<br>"Oh and what is it that you want?" Elena was watching her daughter play her father in such a subtle manner. She knew that look on Sophia's face and she knew she was trying to get Damon into doing something.  
>"I want to dance with you daddy." She replied.<br>"Yeahhhh, what about later Soph?" Damon tried to get himself out of this situation. He saw Elena winking at Sophia and knew he wouldn't get any help from her.

"Okay…" said a big doe-eyed Sophia, with the most adorable pout, which made it impossible for Damon to ignore.  
>"Okay fine! Let's have this dance, your majesty" he said, taking Sophia's little hand into his, glaring at a laughing Elena.<p>

Feeling a slight pain in her leg, she decided to get inside and to rest a little bit in their parlor.  
>Going down the corridor, she heard what seemed like a heated argument and recognized Caroline's voice.<br>"I told you to leave!" she heard her friend yelled.  
>Frowning, she tried to walk as fast as her broken leg would allow.<br>There was Caroline who seemed utterly pissed, and Bonnie? What the hell was she doing here?

"You know I am right Caroline! He will never be good enough for her! And those kids are simply the chains keeping her down here!" She heard Bonnie said.  
>That was enough to piss her off.<br>"SHUT THE HELL UP BONNIE! What are you even doing here?" Caroline turned to see her clearly and utterly pissed off friend. Elena's face was red and her fists were balled up by her sides.  
>"Elena! I came to see you. I know you're angry with me. But I just want what's good for you and that's certainly not Damon!"<br>"Get out of my house Bonnie! I let you fool me once, you're not succeeding this time. I don't want to see you, to hear you or have anything to do with you!"  
>"Elena you should calm down. Bonnie I think it's time you leave", Caroline said, trying to calm down things. Elena was going to hurt herself and she could see that.<br>"Oh Mind your own business Caroline. You're pretty happy Elena and me are on bad terms right now. You always wanted to be the best friend, thing you never really could be" Bonnie spat in Caroline's face, who felt those words hit her like a big hard slap.  
>"Don't you dare take that out on Caroline! She has been more of a best friend than you've ever been! You always judged Damon instead of seeing that he made me happy! You reveled when my marriage was hitting the rocks, always eager to tell me that you had told me so!"<p>

Elena was so taken up in her anger towards Bonnie that she barely acknowledged Caroline leaving the room in tears.  
>The fight between the two women were still at its peak when Caroline was back, with Stefan holding her and Damon and on their heels.<p>

"No matter how hard you try to amend things, you'll always be the woman who left her kids Elena. If they were so important to you, you wouldn't even have left!" He heard Bonnie screeched towards a distraught Elena, whose face was too pale to be normal. He watched her stumble a little and without wasting time, he quickly got to her, just in time. Elena buried her face in Damon's shirt, her tears running down, soaking his cloth. She was hysteric and looking up at Damon, "Make her leave Damon, please make her go away!" She was pleading him, with pained eyes, and Damon looked sternly at Bonnie, who flinched at Damon's murderous gaze.  
>"Get out of my house before I throw you out myself!"<br>Bonnie made one step backwards. She knew that Damon could be ruthless in his anger and she was not stupid enough to get on his bad side.  
>"You may cry and whimper as much as you want Elena, we both know I am right…Always were." And on those vicious words, she turned around and left, without even glancing at Caroline, who had been badly and deeply hurt by Bonnie's words.<p>

While Stefan took Caroline into his warm embrace, Damon picked up Elena, bridal-style and took her upstairs.

"It's true what she said Stefan" whispered a sobbing Caroline, on the parlor's couch.  
>"It's true. I was never the best friend, though I longed to be. I never was. I am awful". Stefan looked at his distraught girlfriend and felt anger rising inside at the thought of Bonnie having hurt his Caroline. She was amazing and big-hearted and had been such a wonderful friend to both Damon and Elena in their time of need while Bonnie had simply been such a bitch that it literally made him crazily mad.<br>"No Care. It's not true. Do not let her get to you. You are amazing to Damon, to Elena, to the kids and you are unique and perfect to me. I love you just the way you are."

"I love you too Stefan." 

Damon was having a harder time upstairs trying to get Elena to calm down. She was crying unstoppingly and she refused to let go of him. She was clinging to him tightly, whispering incoherent words while he was desperately trying to get her to calm down.

"Elena, baby, look at me." He said, commandingly.  
>Slowly, she lifted he face to look at him, and her red, puffy eyes and the pain on her pain broke his heart. It was killing him to see her so broken, not understanding what the hell had happened. One moment they had been so happy and blissful and suddenly, their world was heavy and gloom. Bonnie's last words echoed in his mind and though he didn't know clearly what had caused such an outburst, he knew that her words had rubbed salt in Elena's already much open wound. She had been blaming herself all the time, and though she had seemed to get better lately, Bonnie's words had cut her opened.<br>"You need to calm down okay. Please, you're going to hurt yourself. Elena, CALM DOWN"  
>He knew he was being a bit too bossy but he was worried sick about her health and it utmost aim right now was to have her calm down.<br>"I'll run you a bath and you're going to relax while I go talk to Stefan about taking care of that party, okay?" He was talking to her softly, while Elena simply nodded at all he was saying.  
>Slowly getting out of her grip, he quickly prepared her bath and carried her there. Helping her undress, he gently put her in the tub, after making sure her stitches were still intact.<br>"I'll be right back, okay?" he said, soothing, caressing her hair watching as her tears turn into small whimpers. Kissing her gently, he made his way downstairs to Stefan and Caroline who was doing much better already.  
>"Stefan, Caroline, are you okay Barbie?" he asked, trying to sound detached, though it was clear in his eyes that he was worried about the blonde too. Caroline had been all-time present while Elena had been gone and though he would never admit it, she had become Damon's definition of best friend.<p>

"Yeah I am good. How's Elena? WHAT ARE YOU DOING DOWN HERE? You should be up there with her!" She said at Damon.  
>"The party…" Damon started just to be cut off again by the blonde. Clearly she was doing much much better.<br>"Go to your wife! Stefan and I will handle the party and the kids. NOW GO!"

Without wasting more time, Damon quickly returned to his room, eager to get back to his Elena. She was already out of the tub, and dressed, and was struggling to reach their bed.  
>"Seriously, you never listen Kitten. I would have helped you had you waited for me." He said, trying to lighten the heavy atmosphere. But he failed miserably. One look at Elena's face and he felt bad. Her face was filled with pain and fear and guilt.<br>Helping her setting in bed, he sat in front of her, taking both her face in his hands. He kissed her, trying to soothe her a little, and finally, he look at her intensely.

"I think it's high time you tell me everything about that day Kitten."

A/N: Hello everyone. First of all, sorry for keeping you waiting. Was trying to figure what would be the best way to handle this chapter. There you go. I hope you all like it. Please, if you have some time, your reviews are seriously great to read and encouraging.  
>Okay, I stop bothering you ^^<p> 


	25. Chapter 25

"_I think it's high time you tell me everything about that day Kitten."_

Elena gulped, staring at Damon, knowing there was no way they would escape this discussion now. They had been evading the subject and things were going quite good around. Hugging herself, she took breathe heavily, feeling the fear of what might come out of this tonight. Would she lose them? Would she lose her family? Would she lose him? She knew if she lost Damon this time, she would not survive it. He was her everything and the idea of him walking out on her tetanized her with fear she didn't know could exist. But she also knew, that not talking about it would never allow them to heal really from what had happened.

"The day I left… The day we had that big fight…", Elena stuttered, memories of that day making her heart ache. Damon held her hand tighter, trying to encourage her go on, though he was having the same trip down memory lane, trying to block out the feeling of guilt that he felt coming again.

"You left with the kids and I was here, in this big house alone. I was not okay at all. I felt trapped and angry and alone. We never fought like that before and I was this mess I did not understand myself. I found myself trying to drink away all those feelings, that pain, that loneliness and emptiness inside and Bonnie just came by…I was not myself and she was there, my best friend, or so I thought… I told her everything… We were broken Damon. Our marriage was inexistent. We had grown so far apart from each other. And it hurt so badly because I never stopped loving you, even when you acted so cold and detached, I loved you. But I felt you had got tired of me, I was not good enough. I felt like I was failing you, failing our kids." Elena let the tears fall; she knew there was no use in trying to hold them back now. She felt Damon's grip tightened around her, and it felt good. She knew they had both hurt about what had happened…And this conversation was opening the wound they had pretended was not existent for the past days.  
>"I am not saying it's her fault. It would be a lie. I was the one to write you that letter; I was the one to walk away. I was the one who did not turn back even once. I know. I know every tears spilled by you; by our children are my entire fault. But, she had promised Damon. She had promise she would talk to you that she would take care of our kids. She convinced me that you were all better off without me because I was a mess. She said you had certainly grown tired of me. And I thought it was true. You barely looked at me anymore and her words simply put out things I had tried to deny feeling."<br>Damon winced at her words, realizing how much he had hurt her without noticing. He had thought she did not want him anymore and he had preferred spending late nights at the office rather than actually come home to his wife. He had thought she did not want him around.  
>"And when I got away, after some days, I realized my mistake. I wanted to come back. I needed you and our family back and I called her. I CALLED HER! And she told me you had already moved on. That you didn't care! That our kids were doing great without me…better! That me coming back would simply harm them more than not being here. I was stupid! I was stupid and I believed her. I believed every single word she said and I stayed away…Until I felt myself die little by little inside. I came back but it was too late. You hated me. My children hated me…My son wouldn't even talk to me. I lost everything. But in the end, I am the only one to blame I know. I should have known better. She hated you, but I was blinded by my own needs and stupid thoughts that I ran…I ran away from you when I should have stayed and work things out. I know it does not matter anymore because it's too late and I can't change what happened…I just wished I could make you stop hating me…"<p>

She was hugging herself, having broken away from Damon's embrace. She did not want to look at him, afraid of what she would see. He hated her for doing what she did and he had every right to. She was horrible. She hated herself for everything, all the pain…

"I am sorry…" She heard him whisper in a broken voice. Slowly turning around, she felt her heart clenched at the sight in front of her. Damon, her Damon had let the walls down. He was crying and the sight of him in pain broke her heart even more than it already was.  
>"Damon…" She went to him, not knowing what to do. He probably did not want her near him after everything she just said…How she did not turn back…Did not think…<p>

"I am so sorry Elena. I should have seen…I should have known that you were unhappy. None of this is your fault…None of it. I was so cooped up into my anger and resentment that I failed to see you were in pain. You did not leave…I drove you away…By walking away that day, I drove you away."

Elena went to him then, caressing his face gently, wiping these tears away from his face. "I am sorry too"  
>Damon looked at her. Both stared at each other.<br>"I could never hate you Elena. Even when you left… I was angry and mad. My pride was hurt, my heart ached, but never did I hate you. I tried…I did…But I never could. I love you so much. I can't let you go…Please…" Damon was pleading her now. She stared at him, baffled by his words. She had walked out on them and yet, he was here, begging her to forgive him?  
>As if sensing the thoughts going on in her head, Damon continued, "I know, after all those things I said, my behaviors, my harsh words…I know I have hurt you… Blaming you all this time for something we both did...But I can't lose you again…Let me in again 'Lena…"<p>

"I love you too…" Elena whispered, hugging her husband tightly, afraid he might just disappear. "I am here, forever…"  
>Damon gazed at the woman in his arm, and for the first time in months, he felt light…She was here with him, in their bed. His wife…Gently, he kissed her. That kiss had nothing with those kisses they had been sharing lately…This one was passionate yet sweet, soothing yet possessive.<br>"I need you…" Damon looked at her, unsure of what she had said.  
>"I don't want to hurt you…" he said.<br>Without replying him, Elena just kissed him again, bringing him closer to her, as if she wanted to just feel in totally…she did…She wanted to feel him.

Damon kissed her feverishly, all thoughts of keeping things slow vanishing, as he felt her hands touching him, tightening their grip in his back. Soon, they were both lost totally in their world, loving each single second of it, feeling and re-discovering each other once again, reveling in the feeling of finally being together again, just as things were supposed to be. 


	26. Chapter 26

**Chapter 26 – "New beginnings"**

Damon slowly opened his eyes, feeling soft breaths on his chest. Looking down, he smiled at the sight – Elena, his Elena was peacefully asleep in his arms, holding him tightly, as if she never wanted to let go…Hell, he did not want this moment to end. Kissing her head softly, he tightened his grip around her, holding her close- feeling her warm body had always made him peaceful and calm.  
>He felt her stir in his arm and soon enough, there was those doe eyes looking up at him, and without even thinking, he just kissed her gently, both their eyes full of love and hope.<br>"And good morning to you Mrs. Salvatore".  
>Elena couldn't help but smile at him. She had thought that she would never have this again. And it had broken her to pieces to think he did not love her anymore. She was wrong. There would be no other man for her except Damon. Her Damon. She smiled at the thought, which caused him to rise his eyebrows.<br>"What is running through that mind of yours Kitten?"  
>She moaned slightly, resting her head back to his chest, "Just thinking how you belong to me only…"<br>Damon smirked slightly, "Is that so?"  
>Elena giggled, knowing he was teasing her, "Yep…All mine…Whether you want it or not".<br>Damon let out a loud laugh, which cause Elena's heart to swell at the sound of… She had missed his carefree banter with her.  
>"Okay then. Possessive wife, maybe we should get out of this bedroom before those two monsters barge in".<br>Elena frowned slightly at the thought of the kids, which did not go unnoticed by Damon.  
>"Elena, they love you and at this point, I am sure they've already forgotten about what happened." He tried to reassure her, although he knew that it was pretty much a lie, at least for the forgetting part. But he also knew that the kids loved their mother, although Elena seemed bent to think she had ruined the relationship between her and the kids forever.<br>"You don't know that Damon. I left… Without even saying goodbye… Hell, I was adopted! I knew the pain of losing my parents; I know the feeling of being unwanted and what did I do? I just walked out! I am worse that Isobel…"  
>Damon winced at the thought of Elena's adopted mother who had come into the light months before they got married; He remembered the time where Elena had learned all about how Isobel had left her behind. She had been broken. Realization dawned on him then. Elena thought her kids resented her just like she had resented Isobel then.<br>"Come on let's go downstairs…" Damon said, taking her by the hand.  
>Elena went down slowly, all those thoughts about her kids running in her mind.<p>

Entering the kitchen, William and Sophia were already seated, enjoying breakfast. Stefan and Caroline were already up and had already prepared the kids' for the day. Damon mouthed Caroline and his baby bro a silent thank you while Elena gently kissed both the kids, who smiled genuinely at her.  
>Damon was looking at their little encounter when suddenly, an idea came up.<br>"So, kiddos, what would you say about spending the day with your mom? I have this important thing to do at the office so…" He said.

Elena raised her eyes, looking at him intently. He was lying, she knew it. He had nothing that important, she was sure of it. He was trying to help her re-connect with the kids and she felt herself smiling at him, hoping the kids would be happy about that idea.

"I'd love that!", squealed Sophia. "Always the bubbly one", Elena thought looking at her daughter, smiling.  
>"William?" Damon said, looking at his son questioningly. Of the two kids, Damon knew William was the one that took more after him and he knew that though he could love immensely, William often pushed people away when he got hurt.<br>The little boy looked to Elena, his bright blue eyes looking at her intensely. "I'll do that if we don't go on some shopping spree Ma. It's just so booringgg." He said, with that infamous Salvatore smirk, winking at his dad.  
>Everybody just burst out laughing, while Elena let out a breath she didn't know she was holding.<br>"That's my son!" Damon exclaimed, giving him a high-five.  
>"He is just so you!" muttered a laughing Caroline.<br>Elena smiled at her little family then, enjoying that moment, looking at her husband, only to find the most genuine and beautiful smile on his face, while he looked at her intently, making her fall even more in love with him, if that was possible.

Damon watched as Elena and the kids drive away for their bonding day. Stefan and Caroline had already left by then. He did not have anything to do in the office, but he knew there was that one thing he needed to do. Closing the door behind him, he quickly got in his car and drove there.

After banging on the door a few times, Damon was losing patience. "I know you're in here. Open up before I tear this door down!"

As if on cue, the door opened, with a brunette sending him killer looks. "What do you want?"

Damon felt the anger rising inside of him and struggle hard to keep control of himself.

"Oh don't go all judgy and bossy with me Bennett. I am not Elena, so I don't care."

Bonnie looked at the man before her, all judgy and pissed. "She is my friend, and you are bad for her. She just keeps doing the same mistake over and over again. She'll come back all in tears, just like last time. So whatever you have to say, just say it and go Damon."

"Just stay away from my Family! Hurt her once again I promise you I'll become your worst nightmare. And my kids, speak one single word against them again, and you'll see how I deal with people who hurt them. And as for your so call friendship with Elena or even Caroline, you are not their friend! If you were a true friend, you would not turn your back and spit venoms on them just to prove to yourself that you were right! You would never have encouraged her, in her weak moment, to walk out on her kids! You knew that would hurt her! You knew how she had been about Isobel! Yet, you just gave a damn about you!"

Bonnie winced at Damon's mention of Isobel. Images of a broken Elena came into her mind. Damon's menacing tone made her stumbled backwards.

"Just stay away from us."

Without waiting to hear her or to see any reaction, Damon turned on his heels and quickly drove away from Bonnie's house. It angered him so much to know that she had hurt Elena so much, knowing how much Elena loved her friend. And even if he would not say it, it had hurt him to see Caroline so hurt too. She made Stefan happy and she would not allow Bonnie or anyone else hurt her again. They will re-built their little world and he would make sure that never again would she feel trapped or anything. She had dreams before they had gotten married and Damon realized that she had put all that in check just to take care of their family. It had been unfair to her, while he had actually achieved all he had ever wanted. It was high time for Elena to make it happen too. And he promised himself to make sure that she does just that.  
>He did not worry about how the kids and she were doing. He was sure that it would all be okay because Elena was an incredible mom, and the kids loved her.<p>

"Hello Stef? Yeah I kind of need your help…Again."

Damon smirked, hearing his brother chuckling on the phone.  
>"What can I do this time big bro?"<p>

"Look I know not much thing about those literature courses and all. Could you look up any universities nearby? It's for Elena…"  
>"Okay. I'll look up for that…Damon?"<p>

"Yes Stef?"

"You're a great dad…And husband…Much better than our dad ever was…And a great bro too…"

"Yeah. I know. I am awesome. See you later." Damon tried to sound detached but his brother's words had touched him deeply. Stefan knew him perfectly. He knew that Damon had always had that feared of becoming like their dad – cold and heartless. But that was not the case. Elena had helped Damon get through that and he was glad that she had made his big brother the man he was now.

Damon had been back home and decided to surprise his family with dinner. He was sure that they would all be hungry and worn out after their day out. Elena had always managed to get them exhausted every time they'd go out. He realized he had missed much of these moments, spending all these hours at the office, making money. He had missed much of their family time. And he wanted to change things around now.  
>Stefan had dropped by earlier to give the leaflets he had managed to obtain for Elena. After some talks with his brother about business and Caroline of course, Damon had been all busy in the kitchen. It was already quite dark when he heard the sound of Elena's car coming up the front yard. And it was only minutes till he heard the happy laughter and giggling of his three favorite persons coming inside the house.<p>

"Kitchen!" he shouted.  
>The three of them soon entered the kitchen and Damon tried to retain his laughter at the sight of both his kids talking at the same time, trying to tell him about their day. He was understanding nothing but clearly their day had been amazing.<br>Elena swiftly wrapped her arms around his waist, kissing him lightly, before whispering, "Thank you…I needed that day…"  
>Damon smiled to her, "I love you…"<p>

Dinner at the Salvatores' was particularly lively that night. Elena and Damon were both laughing at William and Sophia cute banter about how shopping was boring or not. William had complained with this Damon-like pout about how the "girls", as he said, had tricked him into going to the mall for ice-cream and ended up going through every shop with "girly princess-eurk" things. Damon laughed at his son horrified face as he described the long hours (which Damon was sure he was slightly exaggerating about) he spent watching them gawk at clothes.  
>"Seriously dad, I am not hanging with them anymore. Only with you. You're cooler!" William had exclaimed which had made Damon and Elena to laugh.<p>

After dinner, both kids had quickly fallen asleep in the middle of their bedtime stories. Coming out of his shower, Damon saw Elena looking intently at some papers – the leaflets Stefan had dropped earlier.  
>"About that..."<br>"What's that Damon?" Elena looked at him questioningly at him.

"Well, these are for you." Damon winked at her, deepening her confusion.  
>"What, why?"<br>Damon breathed in deeply and took her by hands, guiding her towards their bed.  
>"I remember a time where you would always speak of teaching literature and you would speak of writing and all…"<br>"Yeah that was a long time before." Elena spoke.  
>Damon huffed. Damn she could really make things hard sometimes. He chuckled at his own thoughts.<br>Elena frowned, "What are you chuckling about?"  
>"What I am saying kitten, is that you've sacrificed so much all these years while I was living my dreams. You took care of our home, our kids while I was out there making money, thinking that was great. I was wrong. And it's time you go for your dream now. And this is it. Now if you want something else, then we'll do that. Whatever it is you want to do, we'll do it."<p>

Elena felt tears coming up. She did not know it would be possible to love him more yet, there he was, offering her things she had in her heart but never voiced out. She stared at him lovingly.  
>"Baby?" Damon's voice broke her out of her reverie.<p>

Without answering him, she literally jumped towards him, kissing him fully and hardly.  
>"Whoa, I take it you're okay with going back to university then" Damon chuckled at her unexpected move.<br>"Yeah. I am. Thank you."  
>Chuckling, Damon decided to tease her a little bit. "Hmm My wife, the sexy student…"<p>

Elena laughed, lightly hitting his chest. Her laughter, however died, when she saw the intent look on Damon's face while he was looking at her.  
>Gently taking her face in his hands, he kissed her swiftly before whispering, "I'd do anything<p>

for you Elena. Anything." 


	27. Chapter 27

**CHAPTER 27 Kids **

_**8years later…**_

"Don't try that stupid smirk William, you're grounded and that's the end of it!". Damon winced slightly as he listened to Elena reprimanding William for the umpteenth time this week. William had grown into the 17 years old boy he himself used to be and that was not exactly glorious. Class skipping, rebellious and not to mention the uncountable amount of girls his son seemed to "date". He hated getting mean with his kids but he knew it was for the best.  
>Seeing as William was clearly going to act all carefree about his mother's scolding, Damon decided to intervene. "Okay lover boy. Wipe the smirk already, would you? You're really starting to piss me off with your new found attitude so just quit it with us. You go to your room and do not bother coming out until I say so. And yeah, you can forget all about the concert you've been so eager to go." Damon watched as the smirk on William's face turn into a scowl and it was his turn to smirk. Elena watched the interaction intently and though she was really angry at William, she couldn't help but see the complete resemblance between her son and his father, and somehow, as much as she loved her husband, that little fact did not sit well with her. She knew how Damon had been before falling in love with her and how a man-whore he had been and she was not having her son tread the same path. And she was relieved that Damon sided with her on that one.<p>

As William walked up the stairs, she swiftly hugged Damon, who returned the love gesture immediately. "He reminds me of me at his age, and this is not good, not at all."  
>As they heard a door slammed upstairs, Elena felt Damon stiffened and she knew he was trying hard to keep his anger in check. She softly rubbed his chest, knowing that always managed to calm him somehow.<br>"He's gonna be okay…We'll make sure of that" she whispered as she felt him kissed her head.  
>"As much as I love holding you babe, I have to go or else I'm going to have to deal with an angry mini you and I don't quite fancy that." Elena chuckled at her husband's description of their now 13 years old Sophia. But it was true that Sophia was developing much of her mom's character and Damon often teased her about it.<br>As if on cue, a screeching sound make itself heard. "I got it. You go pick Sophia at her dancing class. And no shopping detour this time. I am serious Damon." Quickly kissing him, Elena made her way upstairs as quickly as she could.  
>Entering the room next to hers and Damon's one, she smiled at her 6 months old baby boy who immediately stopped crying. Her pregnancy had come as a surprise to Damon and her as they had not thought they'd be parents again. Damon had been over excited at the news just like her. The kids' reaction, on the other hand, was not quite the same. While William was like "Duh, make sure it does not cry like hell", Sophia was quite the jealous one. That had made her and Damon laugh sometimes, and worried at some other moment; that is until Sophia had said "As long as it's a boy and I get to be the only daddy's girl, it's okay." That had Damon's smirked at her, with his already oversized ego getting even bigger. "They just adore me" he had told her, which had her rolled her eyes at his antics.<br>They had been worried about William though, until the night of the delivery where their oldest son actually teared up at the sight of his baby brother. They had even allowed him to name the baby which had ended up being "Blake".  
><em>"Blake Damon Salvatore".<br>_Elena was so caught up in her thoughts that she did not notice William standing close to the doorway.  
>"I'm sorry mom."<br>Elena lifted her head, looking at him, surprise clearly on her face.  
>"Come again?" she asked, thinking she had heard wrong.<br>William let out a huff, "I said I am sorry mom". Elena tried to keep a smile in check. He would not get away with a simple apology, not this time.  
>"It's time you stop going around apologizing every two days and instead, keep you out of trouble."<br>"I know."  
>"No you don't William!" Elena yelled, her anger getting the best of her. Putting Blake back into his crib, she signaled William to follow her out of the nursery.<br>"You are growing up and this new found attitude, which I do not get at all, is not going to take you much far. I thought your dad and I had taught you better than that!"

"You did! You two are great. It's just, I don't know. I always end up messing up things and get into these reckless actions. I…Damn it Mom, WHERE'S DAD?"

Elena was a bit taken aback from the end of William's sentence. She realized that something was bugging her son and it probably must have been a while.  
>"Are in you trouble Willy?" she asked, tentatively.<br>"I-I just. I got to talk to dad."  
>Elena figured that she was not going to get anything out of him.<br>"He's out fetching Sophia from her dancing class. He'll probably be back anytime soon. Hmm, want to help me with dinner here?" Elena, tried one last time, trying to get him into spending some time with her, hoping he'll tell her what the problem was.  
>William chuckled, "Yeah, no thanks mom. I'll be up with Blake. You know, he's like my number one fan." The smirk was back and Elena realized that just like Damon, William tended to hide behind jokes and sarcasm just to avoid opening up. She definitely would have a talk with Damon about that. She wanted her son to be happy and if that meant her being kept outside the 'talk' then so be it.<p>

As she busied herself with dinner, she heard Damon's car arrive. Sophia entered the kitchen some minutes later with a bag.  
>"You did the puppy eye thing again didn't you?" she asked her daughter.<br>Sophia giggled lightly and nodded to her.  
>"So, what's in there this time?"<br>Sophia proudly showed her mom the leather jacket, which had Elena's eyes to widen.  
>"Leather jacket Soph? Really?"<br>"Yeah! It is nice mama! Now I can wear it and be cool like dad!" And with that, she headed for her room leaving a wordless Elena. "What is wrong with my kids?" she spoke to herself.  
>"They just love me more." She heard Damon reply playfully. Turning around, she looked at him intently, "I thought I had told you to cut off the spoiling."<br>"I know! I tried! But you should have seen her all mesmerized by the jacket through the shop's window!"  
>"Huh, she just has you all wrapped around her little finger, that's all Salvatore." Damon smiled at his wife, knowing she was totally right about that.<br>"But more seriously baby, you need to talk to William. I think we missed something, too busy being angry at him and blaming the teenage phase thing. I tried to get it out of him but he asked for you only." Damon would usually make a comment about being his kids' favorite but the worried face of Elena stopped him. Taking her hand and kissing the back of it, he tried to reassure her. "I'll talk to our son Lena."  
>As dinner went on, Damon couldn't help but notice that William was unusually quiet. Even when Sophia went on and on about some fashion gossip with Elena, he said nothing, while usually he would have groaned and threw in some remarks about how boring his little sister could be. He kept looking at his cellphone which made Damon even more curious and worried. Deciding to use the joking way to try to get his son smile, Damon spoke out, "You have not left this cellphone for one second all through dinner Will. What's her name this time?" Damon smirked at him, expecting some sassy reply from his son. Yet, William's reaction was totally unexpected.<br>"Just shut up will you? I am just trying not to kill myself over this stupid dinner thing! And whatever her name, it just does not matter, doesn't it?" And with that outburst, William just got up from the table and started to make his way out of the house.  
>"William Stefan Salvatore! Get your ass back in here! NOW!" Damon shouted. As much as William's outburst had surprised him, he would not let this intimidate him.<br>"Just leave me alone!" he heard William reply back and without hesitation, Damon made his way out following him, determined not to let his teenage boy act all rebellious with him.  
>"Don't be too harsh Damon!" he heard Elena yelled behind him.<br>Grabbing his keys on his way out, he quickly caught up with the boy.  
>"Just get in the freaking car! I think it's high time you and I have some serious talk!" William noticed his dad's angry mood and though he acted all unafraid, he knew better than to piss off his dad that much and so, he quietly got into the car.<br>Elena watched them drove off with Sophia hugging her softly, "They'll be okay honey." She tried to reassure her shaken daughter, though she herself was worried sick inside.


	28. AUTHOR'S NOTE

Hi guys. First of all I am sorry! I know I have not updated since forever. I am currently using a PC that's not mine. Well, mine is still being repaired :/ I'll probably be getting it before the end of this week so promise, as soon as I get my PC back, I am updating immediately  
>Hope you're still tuned up with the story. Well, there's going to be only 2-3 chapters more<br>Love you people


	29. Chapter 28

_**"Just get in the freaking car! I think it's high time you and I have some serious talk!" William noticed his dad's angry mood and though he acted all unafraid, he knew better than to piss off his dad that much and so, he quietly got into the car.  
>Elena watched them drove off with Sophia hugging her softly, "They'll be okay honey." She tried to reassure her shaken daughter, though she herself was worried sick inside.<strong>_

**Chapter 28 – "The better man"**

Damon watched the brooding young boy sitting on the park's bench. He used to bring William there as a kid but it seemed so long ago. His son was becoming a man and not in the best way. He barely recognized his little boy who reminded him of himself at this age – something that worried Damon more than he would ever admit. He had no idea how to handle his own son and that was something that killed him because he wanted to help him more than anything. He just didn't know how. So, he did the only thing he could do at that moment, he patted William's shoulder, trying to soothe the boy into telling him what was going on.

"Her name is Anna…"

Damon breathe in slowly, feeling between joy that his son was finally opening up but also felt scared of what he might hear. Was she pregnant? Had William managed to get a girl pregnant in high school? Was him trying to walk away from it? All these thoughts started to stir in Damon's mind and he had to restrain himself from shaking William's into telling him what the hell was going on!

"What happened William?" Damon tried to hide the anguish in his voice but failed visibly as William chuckled at his dad's expression.

"Don't worry dad. She is not pregnant. Even less by me given I am probably the person she despises most."

Damon turned around finally to look at his son. Was this girl the reason his boy had been so not-himself lately?

"Okay buddy, tell me everything and mostly why would that girl despise you most." Damon saw the pained look on his son's face which reminded him, strangely, of himself at the time he had fallen in love with Elena but thought she hated him.

"She is amazing dad! She is so beautiful and simple. And witty. But a girl like her wouldn't even think about a guy like me. I am reckless and stupid and I do stupid things…She thinks so low of me and who blames her? I am the high school one night stand guy. I don't care about people's feelings and I hurt everyone, including my own family. And I was a fool to think she could give me a chance! I mean look at me! I spell trouble! I AM trouble.  
>I just wish I could prevent myself from feeling the way I feel about her…" William's said his last sentence in nearly a whisper.<br>Damon let out a breath he didn't know he was holding. He had thought the most horrible things when all that was about was his son being in love for the first time.  
>"Son, did I ever told you about your mom and I?"<p>

William looked at his dad weirdly, not understanding his dad's point.

Damon chuckled lightly at his son's questioning look.  
>"You see son, your mom hated me when she first met me…" William's eyes nearly fell out at his dad's confession. As long as he had known his parents, they had always been utterly and hopelessly in love, even when they were fighting, they still loved each other. He could not imagine a time where his mom hated his dad.<p>

"Yeah I know hard to believe but it's true. You see, I worst than what you think is bad. I was the ultimate jackass. I was the guy who didn't believe in relationships, had thousand of one night stands and bragged about his money, thinking that was all life was about…Until I saw her."

William seemed captivated by his dad's story. His mother's continuous rambling about how alike he and his dad were was finally clicking and he understood why she always seemed unhappy about that. He couldn't help but smirk at that.  
>"Well, long story short, she gave me a hard time, and I actually had to put myself out there and show her I could be worthy of being with her… William, you're my son, I know you and this, this young boy with this disturbing attitude, it's not who you are. Okay, I'll probably be less awesome after I say what I am about to say, but I think your mom's exact words back them to me were, 'Be the better man Damon'".<br>Damon watched as William smirked at him and say, "Nah, you're still awesome dad, although, I probably am more awesome than you."

"Damn, you're really my son." Damon said, laughing at his son's antics.  
>"Any doubt about that old man?" William said playfully.<br>Though he was still scared about facing Anna and his feelings, he felt lighter. His dad had always been his best friend and he always found the right things to say. Not that he would ever admit that to his dad, the latter already had an oversize ego.  
>"Alright rebellious teenage boy, as much as I love hanging out with you and having conversations about your heart's trouble, I have a wife and two other kids waiting for me. So let's go. You even get to drive this time." Damon winked at William whose mouth was wide open. He never let anyone drive car, not even Elena.<br>"I'd prefer you driving with your mouth close though mini-steffy."

"Hey, don't call me that! I am not like Uncle Steffy! I am tough" William said, pouting.  
>"Yeah, so tough Mr I-am-in-love but she hates me." Damon teased his son.<br>"Haha you're one to talk Mr-Be-The-Better-Man", William smirked back.

Father and son drove back home smiling to meet with a worried sick Elena. Sophia had gone to bed, not without some heavy cooing of her mother. Elena was nursing a crying Blake and she was unsuccessfully trying to get him to calm down.  
>She heard chattering and laughing and saw her son and her husband walking in with smiling faces and though she was curious to know what happened, she was reassured. Clearly, Damon had been able to get the truth out of William and that was enough to make her lighter. She had been scared that things would go down badly given the strong character of those two.<p>

"Give him to me babe. Time for me and my little guy to spend some quality time together. After all, he is my favorite", Damon said, smirking at William, clearly teasing his eldest kid and loving every minute of it.  
>Elena huffed at her husband antics, but couldn't help but giggle when William replied back.<br>"Huh dad, you wished. But we all know you love me more. Too bad, my little brother likes me more than you. Just like my mom, right ma?" he said flashing his Salvatore smile to his mom – the smile that always managed to get him out of trouble when he was a kid.  
>"You know it", Elena said, winking at William, leaving Damon gaping with Blake who had stopped crying, slowly falling asleep in his dad's arms.<br>William hugged Elena, whispering a "sorry mom" before heading upstairs.  
>"I probably should get this little one to bed too," said a smiling Damon, taking Elena's hand and leading the three of them upstairs.<p>

-  
>"So…am I going to know what finally happened to him…" Elena asked tentatively as Damon lie back on their bed, running his hand in her hair while she rested her head on his chest lovingly.<br>"You're right when you say he's like me in more ways that we realize…Let's just say that our son has finally found someone he feels is worth him changing for the better…And that this time, it's going to take more than just a smirk and show-offs for him to have what he wants…"

"Oh MY GOD! DAMON! MY BOY IS BECOMING A MAN! HE IS IN LOVE! I KNEW IT!" Elena squealed, making Damon chuckled at his wife's reaction.

"Not so loud Lena! Or he's going to kill me and you'll be a widow! You'll miss that hot body so much then" Damon teased her.

Elena chuckled and kissed him, a kiss that quickly turned into a hot make-out session and soon both were panting and moaning and all their problems were forgotten, at least for this little while.  
>-<p>

_At school the next day_

"Hey Anna…Hmm can I talk to you please?"

"Wouldn't that stain your bad boy reputation to be seen with, what was it again you said last time, oh yes,'a lousy loser'?"  
>William breathed in deeply, he knew it was not going to be easy. And though she was giving him a hard time, that was what had actually attracted him – she called him on his crap and was not afraid of him at all.<p>

"I am sorry for calling you that. It was uncalled and untrue. And I would really like to make it up to you…"

"What games are you up to now Salvatore? Do you really think that with your smile and your blue eyes and your stupid conceited smirk you're going to actually fool me?" Anna was rambling now, as much as she hated to admit it, William's closeness was affecting her. He had hurt her badly because she loved him, secretly but she did, for years now. He just never looked at her in that way…He barely even acknowledged her…until now that is. His blue eyes were boring into hers, as if he was piercing her soul and she felt herself melting slowing, though she tried to resist.  
>"Look, I know, I am a jerk, the guy you hate the most, and you probably has a thousand reasons to do so while I don't have much excuse to explain all those crap I've done. But, somehow, you have gotten under my skin and you're all I think about. And though I don't deserve you, I promise you that if you give a chance, I'll be the better man…For you. Please Anna, I am practically begging now…" William had this desperate look, but deeper, he seemed, sincere for once, and Anna heard the words coming out of her mouth without her realizing, "Okay…"<p> 


	30. Chapter 29

**Chapter 29 – Date and Memory Lane**

William was rumbling through his closet, cursing slightly. The rufus he was causing brought Damon to his room, baby Blake in his arms. Damon watched his eldest son, the infamous smirk quickly appearing.

'Looks like someone's very stress...' Damon could not stop himself from teasing William, it was too tempting, which, in turn, earned him a glare from the latter.  
>'Ha ha very funny dad. Really.'<br>Damon settled down on the armchair, very amused by William who was yet trying another shirt which quickly ended on the floor.  
>'Look Blake, your brother has become a girl!' he kept on teasing.<br>'What about daddy helping instead of making stupid remarks? I am sure Blake would agree.'

Damon let out a laugh, causing Blake to giggle too. 'Okay, first stop being so restless. I am sure Anna would not give a damn about your clothes, if what you told me about her is correct. And even more, you and I both know that the shirt isn't what is bothering you here. So what about you sit down and tell me what's going on son?'

William looked at his dad and picking his baby brother from his father's grip, he settled down on his bed, 'It's just...I am scare that I'll just go out there and make a fool out of myself and ruin everything.'  
>'You should just stop over thinking thing. She's giving you a chance even after you've been an ass to her. Just be yourself, I mean, the kind you of course, and all should be fine. I mean, afterall it worked with your mom, right?' sais a smirking Damon.<br>'Oh is that so Salvatore?' they heard Elena say. She had been looking for her husband all over the house, with an impatient Sophia on her heels.  
>It was William's turn now to smirk. 'Yeah Dad, is that so?' he said, enjoying how things was turning out. His parents were funny, especially when his dad would turn all mushy by his mom, all the while claiming he was badass Damon Salvatore.<br>'Yeah yeah. Don't you have a girl to win over? Go already and give me back my favourite son. At least he loves his daddy and knows he is the very best.'  
>Damon's words caused everyone to laugh.<p>

_**Ten years later**_

'Okay 'Lena. Stop pacing like that! You're acting more nervous than them!' Damon said, watching Elena visibly pacing and stressing like hell.

'It's my baby boy Damon so yes, I will pace if I want to! How can you even be so calm?! You realise that they're really going through it right? Damn, when did he grow up so much?'  
>Damon could not help but smile at his wife's visibly shaken expression. Their son had truly come a long way from being the most reckless young kid to the responsible man he was now.<p>

'She makes him happy...' Damon says, smiling at Elena, which immediately calmed down his wife who returned his smile.  
>'Yes she does.'<br>'Okay mom, dad I love you but could you seriously stop sending each other mushy looks and actually move so we could actually NOT be late to the wedding?! Thank you.'  
>Both Damon and Elena giggled at their now 23 years old daughter. She had grown up into such a fine woman though Elena often found herself trying to stop Damon from going crazy about Sophia's boyfriend Matt. Damon thought he was plain boring while Elena thought Matt 'a good guy'. Though Damon would never admit that he simply was jealous of not being his little princess hero anymore.<p>

'Okay Princess, let me get the little prince then we can get going, see that big guy tie the knot', Damon said, smirking.  
>Both Elena and Sophia exchanged knowing looks, knowing Damon was deeply proud of his son for standing up and becoming the man he had become.<p>

The wedding was beautiful, Elena shed tears, which earned her unstoppable teasing from Damon and Blake who was even more his father's replica, be it physically and in behaviour. Sometimes, they would just drive her crazy, now that she was the only woman at home, Sophia having moved out and William having his own house with Anna.  
>As she watched Damon banter friendly with Blake, she could not stop from feeling melancholic about how quick time had passed. They had made it through thick and thin and were still going strong after all these years. They had aged yet, their love was still as young as before and Damon could still make her heart race even after all this time.<br>The voice of her husband took her out of her reverie. 'Hello everyone. I'd like to make a toast to my son William and his bride Anna. I've seen them as lovesick teenagers, watched them grow...Watch Anna bring the best out of my boy and I am proud today of the man he has become. I know your mother and I have had our rough patch and you saw it firsthand, but I can also rightly say that I have never loved any woman as much as I love my Elena. And all I can wish the two of you tonight is to share the same beautiful and constant love and happiness we've had. We love you kids' Damon said, trying to smirk but visibly pretty much emotioned by the events.

He gazed lovingly at his wife who mouthed him an endearing 'I love you, now and forever'. He smiled at her and swiftly made his way over her.

'Now and forever...' he whispered in her ears before kissing her passionately, not noticing the eyes of their three kids watching them tenderly.

-The End -


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